Tokyo 2020 Olympics boxing qualifier Irish Magno revealed the dire situation national athletes are now facing after the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) has not given them their allowances in the last two months.

“Ang hirap magfocus para sa paghahanda ko sa Olympics kung alam mong ‘yung pamilya mo sa probinsya halos walang makain,” wrote Magno on Facebook.

“Masakit lang isipin lalo na’t ikaw lang inaasahan nila. Two months na walang allowance. Iyan lang inaasahan naming mga atleta. Sana magkaroon na.”

(It’s so hard to focus on preparing for the Olympics if you know your family doesn’t have a lot to eat in the province. It’s heartbreaking to think that they are depending on you. We haven’t gotten our allowances for two months. Us athletes are just relying on that. I hope we get it soon.)

Magno is currently with the rest of the boxing team and other Tokyo 2020 Olympics hopefuls in the PSC training bubble in the National University (NU) Inspire Academy in Calamba, Laguna.

The 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games silver medalist was the fourth Filipino to qualify for the biggest global sports showpiece.

Magno prevailed in the women’s flyweight box-off in the 2020 Asia and Oceania Olympic Boxing Qualifiers in Amman, Jordan to snag one of the 6 qualifying slots of the event.

Rappler reached out to Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) secretary-general Ed Picson. He replied in a text message: “I’d rather not comment on this. It’s a PSC matter. I’d rather not get involved.”

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics was delayed to July 23 to August 8, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. – Rappler.com