Cartoon By: Aaron Paul C. Caril
Jumping on the bandwagon
After Carlos Yulo won two gold medals in the recently
concluded Paris Olympics, it became inevitable that cash
prizes and rewards would abundantly flow to him like the
proverbial manna from heaven.
Rappler.com reports that the total value of Yulo’s
incentives, gifts, and perks has exceeded P100 million,
and the list continues to grow as we celebrate the historic
success of the country’s latest sports hero.
Like all other past athletes who took the limelight in
the international sports arena, Yulo’s journey to the
podium was not a walk in the park. During Yulo’searly
days, the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines
struggled to send him to the Olympics or similar
international tournaments. The association would appeal
to sponsors to send him to school in Japan, where he lived
and trained for years.
Unlike basketball, which businesses and marketing
professionals find to have a high advertising value and
where good-looking and towering gentlemen often get
offers as brand ambassadors, gymnasts get little attention
from the public until they become world-famous like Yulo.
While we marvel with great admiration at the
generosity of all the benefactors who sprinkle our world
champ and other Olympic medalists with rewards, it’s
crucial to remember that the common battlecry of those
athletes who passed through the eye of the needle is
continuous support in their journey to the podium. This is
not a one-time effort, but a continuous need that must be
met.
“Hirap na hirap ako, I need financial support” was
Hidilyn Diaz’s clarion call before winning gold at the Tokyo
Olympics. Only a few responded to the call. Diaz was then
a nameless and faceless athlete until she brought home
the Philippines’ first gold medal in the Olympics.
Every athlete’s journey to world fame involves several
other persons, such as coaches, nutritionists, therapists,
and many more, who spend many hours training. Back
home, they have families to support. They need the
wherewithal to inch closer to the world stage.
While treating athletes who won medals with a
smorgasbord of rewards may sound like a good motivation
to those working hard to make a name in sports, investing
in their training and journey to the international sports
competitions makes a world champion. This cause should
be the bandwagon that the government, business
organizations, and individual benefactors must jump on.