POC says all athletes invited after PH gymnasts miss Heroes parade

FILE–Team Philippines gymnastics bets Emma Malabuyo, Aleah Finnegan and Levi Jung-Ruivivar.  –Levi Jung-Ruivivar Instagram

MANILA, Philippines—There were members of the Team Philippines from the Paris Olympics 2024 not present during the homecoming activities in Manila including the gymnastics trio of Emma Malabuyo, Aleah Finnegan and Levi Jung-Ruivivar.

The three female gymnasts didn’t fly home to the Philippines after the Paris Olympics, prompting some fans to ask about their whereabouts. Both Malabuyo and Finnegan said they weren’t informed about the homecoming events, including the Heroes parade.

Jung-Ruivivar, meanwhile, was still in France.

READ: Filipinos show gratitude to Team Philippines in Heroes’ parade

“We weren’t informed about it so we didn’t make it :/,” said Finnegan, replying to a comment mentioning the parade set for the Filipino Olympians.

“I wanted to go but they didn’t tell me about it,” also said Malabuyo in response to a separate comment.

Philippine Olympic Committee Secretary General, Atty. Wharton Chan, though, said that all athletes were invited through their designated National Sports Associations (NSAs).

Filipino Olympians receive a warm welcome from fans after the Heroes Parade on August 14 following their Paris Olympics campaign. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

“For sure, all the athletes were invited. How did EJ (Obiena), (John) Cabang, (Lauren) Hoffman and Sam Catantan all get here? All of them were invited through their NSAs,” said Chan in Filipino in a message to Inquirer Sports.

(For sure, invited lahat ng athletes. Pa’no nakauwi sila EJ, Cabang, Hoffman and Sam Catantan? Lahat yan inimbitahan thru their NSAs.)

READ: Paris Olympics: Emma Malabuyo in high spirits after exit

Gymnastics Association of the Philippines President Cynthia Carrion also shed light on the situation on Wednesday after the Heroes’ Parade for Team Philippines where the country’s golden boy Carlos Yulo was met with overwhelming sypport.

Carrion said the trifecta of Philippine gymnasts were notified of the event but couldn’t make it without citing specific reasons why.

“They’re in the US but they’re coming by the end of August. Yes, [they knew] but they couldn’t make it,” said the GAP President.

As of writing, Malabuyo updated via her Tiktok that she’s currently in Manila, even having the company of Carlos Yulo’s younger brother, Eldrew. Finnegan, meanwhile, is currently en route to the Philippines.