Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao will not be competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially rejected his bid due to the age limit.
As per Rappler, the IOC stated to the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) that it will uphold its original set of rules that allows boxers who are under the age of 40 years old to compete — confirming that Pacquiao, who is now 45 years old, will not be eligible for the Olympics. “Too bad our beloved boxing icon is disqualified because of his age and that everyone needs to go through qualifiers, in all sports, to be able to participate in Paris,” POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said in a statement.
Pacquiao, who retired from the sport in 2021, said last year that his illustrious 26-year career as a professional boxer is only missing his participation in the Olympics. “From the beginning, I went to Manila to be part of the Philippine team, but I wasn’t picked, I was rejected… because they said I was not good,” he said. “My heart and desire is to claim a gold medal in the Olympics.”
Although he will not be appearing at the Summer Olympics, fans will still be able to see him in action at the recently-announced Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather rematch in Japan.
