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Alleged ‘toxic environment’ and uniform fiasco engulf Team PH
As Paris concluded the spectacle that brought together 206 nations represented by 10,714 athletes excelling in their respective fields, the Philippines’ top sport officials are expected to gather together to discuss the mishaps that came into sight towards the end of the country’s campaign in the Paris Olympics in an effort to make sure the national sporting program doesn’t deviate from its next goal: the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
According to sources within Team Philippines, several officials, including high-ranking officers from two affected national sports associations, will make an effort to sort through the problems that afflicted the golf and weightlifting squads days before the closing of the Summer Games at the French capital.
One of the issues that plagued Team Philippines is the “toxic environment” that weightlifter Vanessa Sarno blamed after she logged three failed lifts in the snatch category of the women’s 71kg competition and bowed out of the podium race swiftly.
PHOTO COURTESY: LIBERT ONG
“It was not pressure. It was frustration with the people around us because it was a very toxic environment while preparing for the Olympics,” Sarno told Filipino reporters in Paris. “I admit that my mentality was weak when it came to people around me who were very toxic.”
Sarno admitted she almost quit the team due to the toxicity surrounding her, alleging that some people within her circle were not rooting for her to succeed.
In a phone interview from France, Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP) president Monico Puentevella said he has no idea what “toxic environment” Sarno was referring to but hinted at the several issues that need to be addressed within the national team.
“I don’t know what she means by toxic,” Puentevella told the Inquirer. “For now, let her performance speak for itself. I will address this, trust me. I will fix things in two weeks, when we are done celebrating.”
On the other hand, the third day of the women’s golf tournament was marred by controversy after Filipina golfer Dottie Ardina posted a video on social media stressing her and Bianca Pagdanganan’s struggle with inadequate team uniforms.
In the video, Ardina vented her frustration over the situation, using double-sided tape to attach a Philippine flag patch to her shirt.
“Shout out to those who were supposed to give us our uniforms; where did the uniforms go?” Ardina voiced her discontent in Filipino. “There are just the two us [in the Philippine golf team], we are only 22 [athletes representing the Philippines in total] and yet the uniforms are not complete.”
The Philippines was the only team without proper uniform at the tournament, which sparked concern and criticism among Filipinos.
The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP) clarified that the uniform issue stemmed from logistical problems. Both sport bodies said the package containing the competition gear of Pagdanganan and Ardina got held up at the French customs and did not arrive in time for the women’s golf competition scheduled from August 7 to 10.
According to NGAP, Adidas, the official apparel sponsor of the Philippine delegation, sent new kits a week before the opening of the Games after its initial set of apparel for the golf team got disapproved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
NGAP’s statement addressed that the issue was purely logistical and not related to corruption.
“We have done our very best to give all our athletes everything they need to be at their best for the Olympics but there are certain things that are beyond our control. The campaign of the Philippines has been a resounding success for Paris 2024, which only shows the hard work that the entire delegation put in,” the statement concluded.
Despite the controversies, the Philippines’ campaign at Paris 2024 has been a resounding success, emerging as the best Southeast Asian team in the Olympics after closing out Paris 2024 with four medals.
The country wrapped up the Summer Games at the 37th spot with gymnast Carlos Yulo’s historic two gold feat and bronze medals from boxers Aira Villegas and Nesthy Petecio.
