THE Philippine women’s artistic gymnastics team, bannered by Vietnam Southeast Asia Games double gold medalist Aleah Finnegan, won’t compete in the 2023 games to be held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Gymnastics chief Cynthia Carrion said Cambodian organizers have scrapped women’s gymnastics from the calendar of disciplines, dealing a big blow to the team.
“We tried to convince the Cambodians to retain the WAG tournament but they would not budge when the SEAG Gymnastic Zone held its meeting during the last Vietnam SEA Games,” Carrion said.
“I and the other countries pleaded with the Cambodian hosts, to the extent that we were willing to supply them with equipment just to stage the women’s artistic gymnastics events. Our appeal fell on deaf ears,” she added.
Philippine Olympic Committee President and newly-elected Tagaytay Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said his hands were tied over the issue since the decision of Cambodia to scrap the event “is its prerogative.”
Nonetheless, Tolentino said he would try to raise the issue during the meeting of the SEA Games Federation in the Cambodian capital next month to finalize the list of sports and events that will held in the May 5 to 16, 2023 meet the country is hosting for the first time.
The absence of the WAG competition in Cambodia means the loss of six gymnastics gold medals.
