Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham Tolentino said the organization has sent a request to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to include former eight-division world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao in the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Tolentino pointed out that Pacquiao plans to obtain an Olympic license by taking advantage of the IOC rule on the distribution of quotas based on the principle of universality.
— A response to the appeal could be given in April. It’s a long process. The decision will be made by the IOC executive board,” Tolentino said, as quoted by Philstar.
Philippine Boxing Union Association general secretary Marcus Manalo suggested that Pacquiao had little chance of securing a ticket to the 2024 Games.
— He requests a ticket based on the quota distribution rule based on the principle of universality. In the case of boxing, it is explicitly stated that these licenses are intended for countries which are going through a difficult period or which generally do not qualify via qualifying tournaments. Who doesn’t want Manny Pacquiao on the Olympic roster? He is obviously an absolute legend. But there are rules that we must also take into account,” Manalo said.
Another obstacle for Pacquiao, 44, is his age, since only boxers aged 19 to 40 are allowed to qualify for the tournament.
Pacquiao has 62 victories (39 by KO), eight defeats (3 by KO) and two draws in professional boxing.
The Paris Olympic Games will take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
Source : MatchTV
I am Ashley Ortiz and I am a professional journalist working for Athletistic. My specialty is in sports journalism, particularly boxing. I have written articles for some of the most renowned publications on the subject, and my work has been featured across both print and digital media platforms.
