‘Embarrassing’ lack of uniforms for PH Olympic golfers angers fans

(UPDATED) With the curtains to fall on the Paris Olympics and the Philippines to end it with its best-ever performance in a 100-year history of participation, it would be apt to just celebrate the achievements of Filipino athlete–-those who medaled or otherwise–for representing our country well.

But it’s not to be.

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A video posted by the mother of golfer Dottie Ardina has gone viral as Team Philippines, which has one of the smaller delegation in these Games, did not look properly dressed for action at Le Golf National, which will be hosting the final round of the 72-hole women’s golf championship on Saturday with Ardina and Bianca Pagdanganan still having long-shot chances at adding to the PH medal count.

READ: Dottie Ardina’s second round proves she belongs at Paris Olympics

Ardina had taken videos of herself trying to patch the Philippine flag on her chest with double adhesive tape that’s now become the talk of the town, expressing disappointment at why she and Pagdanganan didn’t get their uniforms in time while the other countries have dressed their athletes to the nines and are looking pretty chic.

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“Sana all with uniforms,” Ardina said in the video. “Kami lang ang wala. Kailangan pa bumili ng t-shirts. Diyos ko, ano bang klaseng Olympics ito. (Bianca and I are the only ones without a team uniform. We even had to buy shirts to wear. My God, what kind of an Olympics [participation] is this?)”

She continued: “Shout out naman dyan, sa mga nagbigay ng uniforms natin, saan na napunta? Dalawa na lang kami dito, 22 lang ang atleta, kulang-kulang pa.”

“Nakakahiya,” she said, “Sobra-sobrang tao, kami lang walang uniform, tuklap-tuklap pa ito.”

In a joint statement, the National Golf Association of the Philippines and the Philippine Olympic Committee said the reason why Pagdanganan and Ardina have “dressed down” is because their uniforms failed to clear customs in Paris.”

Adidas, Paris Olympics official Apparel Sponsor of the Philippine delegation, sent an initial set of apparel for the golf team prior the start of the competition for approval of the IOC.  Unfortunately, it was disapproved, hence, the immediate change of golf apparel was sent a week prior to the opening.

Several boxes of apparel containing competition gear were sent through courier directly to Paris. However, the French customs held the package carrying the competition gear and despite the best efforts made by the officials, the gear was not released in time,” the statement read.

READ: Paris Olympics: Pagdanganan now trails by seven, Ardina cards 69

The Philippines is traditionally a non-golfing country, with its interest really around basketball for the most part and lately, volleyball, sports which don’t have Filipino participation in Paris.

Carlos Yulo opened the country’s eyes to his sport last week by winning the floor exercise and vault golds of artistic gymnastics. And after the Filipino boxers started falling by the wayside just days after that Yulo feat, Filipinos back home were left to watch weightlifting and of course, golf.

Netizens are up in arms, blaming the NGAP and some the POC for the brouhaha, a similar thing first happening in Tokyo 2020 when Juvic Pagunsan and Yuka Saso played without uniforms.

READ: LIVE UPDATES: Team Philippines at Paris Olympics 2024 August 10

The NGAP had even released a video of its secretary-general Bones Floro to “just focus on the golf,” which all the more angered many casual fans of the game. It has since been taken down.

“It’s very sad seeing these Athletes doing their best to give our country an Olympic medal, but hey, they received little to no support from our government. 😞 Imagine having no official uniform while playing golf and they are the ones buying their own and just attaching the PH flag with a double adhesive tape. 😞 What a shame!

Now we understand why Yuka Saso chose the Japanese flag instead of competing for the Philippines,” wrote Jerico Jose on Facebook.

Another FB user, VolleyballnoobPH, is asking why the NGAP, which went to Paris way before the golf competition, did not hand-carry the uniforms.

“Bakit di hinand-carry yung uniform; Bakit di naibili ng alternate uniform when golf started late part nf ng #Olympics; Bakit ganito mga NSAs natin; Bakit ganito kawawa mga atleta natin; Bakit, bakit, bakit.”

Even the Reddit forum exploded with comments, some of them as harsh as putting the blame on the Marcos government itself.

“That’s why we will stay a third world country until this world blows up. All those people in the government keeps on pocketing everything. Nothing will change until the corruption stops,” wrote Mamba-0824.

Others have a connection to Ardina and are understandably frustrated.

“Dottie was my classmate during HighSchool sa Sta Rosa Laguna. She is very kind and sweet. She does not deserve this kind of treatment from our government,” said ilovetitays.

Emotional_Pizza_1222 sees it this way: “This is so embarrassing!! Jusko uniform nalang hindi pa ma provide ng gobyerno. 22 na nga lang sila dun. Dottie and

Bianca are currently doing well sa golf tournament doon. I’m so glad that Dottie posted this! Para mapahiya ung mga namamahala.”

The Inquirer is still awaiting a reply from POC president Bambol Tolentino, although it is believed that the NGAP–or the National Sports Association of any sport the Philippines participates in internationall– handles game-worn uniforms of its athletes.

“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 situation that our golfers are in, although regrettable, is also an isolated case,” the NGAP said.

Follow Inquirer Sports’ special coverage of the Paris Olympics 2024.

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