Amid raking Olympic Gold, Diaz’ experience urges more sports funding

PROUD ATHLETES. A parade of world-class athletes proudly representing their respective countries in the closing of the SEA Games (Southeast Asian Games) on December 11, 2019. © Tapia

While Filipinos celebrate Hidilyn Diaz’ historic first Olympic gold medal for the country, this feat did not come easy for her, with Diaz asking for funding for her Olympic journey.

Under a pandemic lockdown and with little access to good equipment, the weightlifter had to improvise a barbell for training with the use of broomsticks found in the house, ordinary resistance bands, and gym bags stuffed with heavy objects.

In June 2019, Diaz called for “sponsorship” from private companies on her Instagram Story as she trained for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“Is it okay to ask sponsorship sa mga private companies towards Tokyo 2020? Hirap na hirap na ako, I need financial support,” she expressed.

(Is it okay to ask sponsorship from private companies towards Tokyo 2020? I’m having a very difficult time, I need financial support.)

“Sa tingin niyo okay lang kaya, nahihiya kasi ako pero try ko kapalan mukha ko para sa minimithi kong pangarap para sa atin bansa na maiuwi ang Gold Medal sa Olympics,” the athlete continued.

(Do you think it’s okay, I’m embarrassed but I’ll try to be shameless for my dream for our country to bring home a Gold Medal in the Olympics.)

However, Diaz was not the first national athlete to have called out the government’s lack of financial support concerning sports development.

In March 2019, two members of the Philippine Paralympic swimming team disclosed that they have not yet received any allowance from the government after joining the national training pool in 2017.

Olympic figure skater Michael Martinez also lacked financial support when he initially prepared for the 2014 Winter Olympics, and this pushed his mother to write a letter to the late President Benigno Aquino III.

The promise

After the Philippines’ historic four medal finish in the Tokyo Olympics, the leaders in Congress vowed that the budget for sports next year will increase substantially.

“Of course, the tax law is good, but we need to invest in our athletes before they win. That’s the way to get more podium finishes. They need help during training, not after they win,” Albay Representative Joey Salceda, chairman of the House ways and means committee, stated.

Salceda affirms that the tax law makes a difference and provides larger investments for athletes.