By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Filipino boxing icon Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao has been ruled ineligible from competing in the men’s boxing event of the 2024 Paris Olympics for being overage at 45.

According to the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has stated that the former eight-division world boxing champion is way beyond the 40-year-old age limit for athletes participating in the Olympics.

James McLeod, IOC Director for National Olympic Committee (NOC) Relations, wrote to the POC on its request for Pacquiao to be able to compete in the upcoming Olympics in Paris, France.

“The only valid boxing qualification system for Paris 2024 is the one approved by the IOC Executive Board in September 2022, published and distributed to NOCs and boxing national federations on December 6, 2022,” McLeod said in his letter.

McLeod added that the boxer-politician could not qualify for the Paris Summer Games under the Universality rule as well.

“The Universality places for the Olympic Games will not be allocated to NOCs with an average of more than eight athletes in individual sports/disciplines in the last two editions of the Olympic Games [Rio and Tokyo],” McLeod added.

The Philippines had 17 athletes in Tokyo — all in individual sports — with Hidilyn Diaz Naranjo winning the country’s first Olympic gold medal, and Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio clinching silver medals, and Marcial bagging bronze in boxing.

So far, the four Filipinos have qualified for Paris — world’s no. 2 pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena, boxer Eumir Felix Marcial and artistic gymnasts Carlos Yulo and Aleah Finnegan.

POC president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said it was disappointing that Pacquiao was not allowed to compete in the Olympics due to old age, but respects the decision of the IOC.

“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,” Tolentino said./ASC, WDJ