Filipino weightlifter and Olympic medalist Hidilyn Diaz has taken to social media to ask for financial support in the upcoming Tokyo 2020, a post that led some netizens to criticize the government for allegedly not providing enough for the country’s athletes.
“I’m already having such a hard time, I need financial support,” Diaz said in Filipino in an Instagram Story on Monday, according to ESPN 5.
She asked her followers if it is OK to ask private companies to sponsor her for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo next year.
“Do you think it’s OK? I’m embarrassed to ask but I will try to work up the nerve for my goal to bring home a gold medal in the Olympics for our country.”
Diaz, 28 years old, won the silver medal in the women’s 53-kg weight division at the 2016 Rio Olympics, becoming the first Filipino woman to win in the quadrennial sporting event. Before that, in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, she was the youngest competitor in the 58-kg category.
Following Diaz’s social media post earlier this week, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) published its own statement on Tuesday, saying that the government has been “very supportive” of the Olympian.
According to PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez, Diaz receives one of the highest allowances among the country’s pool of athletes.
“For this year alone, the PSC has given almost 4.5 Million to fund her foreign trainings in Hainan and Guangxi in China, the agency is also paying her foreign coach Kaiwen Gao’s monthly salary and food allowance,” the PSC’s statement reads.
“Her NSA’s (weightlifting national sports association) request for funding for competitions was also approved. A new weightlifting gym has just been constructed in the RMSC (Rizal Memorial Sports Complex) after she called attention to the old gym they were using.”
According to the sports commission, Diaz is also supported by the Philippine Airforce, where she is enlisted as personnel.
“I do not think [the] government was remiss of its support to Hidilyn. Despite what it seems, we at the PSC choose to see her for what she is, a champion we will support on her dream to achieve more,” Ramirez said before inviting Diaz to visit the PSC to discuss the issue.
In a letter addressed to Ramirez in September last year, Diaz also expressed frustration over the Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas (SWP) and its alleged lack of a long-term program for athletes, GMA News reported. In her letter, she said she was judged for being arrogant for requesting more support for her training.
Filipinos love sports but the Philippine government has long been criticized for its alleged lack of funding for national athletes. Since first joining the Olympics in 1924, the Philippines has only won 10 medals, including seven bronze medals and three silver ones. It has yet to win its first gold.
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