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PH athletes, officials raise concerns over alleged irregularities at 2025 SEA Games
Before the 2025 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand concluded on Saturday, some Filipino athletes and sports officials voiced concerns over alleged irregularities in their events.
Gilas Pilipinas guard Robert Bolick shared his experience after the national team’s game against host Thailand.
“Kita n’yo naman ginawa nila [sa] home court, ‘di ba? Kung may marunong sa basketball alam n’yong pinaggagawa nila pero kahit anong gawin, basta may Panginoon, lahat ng Pilipino, lahat ng coaching staff, nag-iisa lang, nakuha namin ang ginto,” Bolick told the Philippine Olympic Committee media pool, according to GMA Integrated News’ Jonathan Andal.
Asked to clarify, Bolick added, “Alam na alam n’yo na ‘yun, hindi ko na kailangan sabihin. Hindi na basketball ‘yun, bahala na kung anong tawag doon, daya na ata ‘yun eh. Kita n’yo naman talaga ‘di ba anong pinaggagawa pero nakipagtagisan pa rin kami, lumaban pa rin kami. Kahit anong gawin, basta Pilipino ang kalaban, resilient kami, resilient tayo eh.”
“DI NA BASKETBALL ’YUN EH, DAYA NA ATA.”
— Jonathan Andal (@JonathanAndal_) December 19, 2025
Pumalag si Robert Bolick ng Gilas Pilipinas sa tila umano pandaraya sa 4th quarter ng laban kontra Thailand sa 2025 SEA Games. Sa kabila nito, nadepensahan pa rin ng Gilas ang gintong medalya sa mismong baluwarte ng kalaban. | POC Media pic.twitter.com/bEd1mLkpgx
Gilas Pilipinas defeated Thailand to defend its gold medal.
Boxing gold medalist Eumir Marcial also raised safety concerns, specifically over the hand wraps used in competition.
“Hindi po sana ako lalaban dito dahil sa hand wrap nila dahil unsafe talaga ‘yung hand wrap nila, ito na-injure ang kamay ko, but sabi ko nandito na ako, ito na ang chance na maka-represent ulit ako sa bansa. Sabi ko bahala na kahit ma-injury ako o palitan ang kamay ko after ng laban, basta maka-represent ako. Ito, natuloy and nakuha natin ang gold medal,” Marcial said.
“Yung hand wrap nila is 3.5 meters lang. Sa weight class namin (80kg), talagang hindi po ’yun safe, hindi mapoprotektahan yung kamay namin," he added.
“HINDI PO SANA AKO LALABAN DAHIL UNSAFE YUNG HAND WRAP NILA.”
— Jonathan Andal (@JonathanAndal_) December 19, 2025
Fresh from winning his 5th SEA Games gold vs Indonesia, Eumir Marcial reveals he nearly quit the 2025 SEA Games over “unsafe” 3.5-meter hand wraps provided by host Thailand. | POC Media @gmanews pic.twitter.com/9qL2ewWNrb
Marcus Manalo, secretary general of the Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines, said they plan to write to World Boxing for an inquiry.
“Meron talagang results that will not go your way, pero kung may pattern eh. Again, 16 of 17 of their (Thailand) boxers in the finals, they got 14 out of the 17 gold medals. They're good boxers, of course. Yes, good boxers, pero come on, 'di ba? Parang may irregularities naman 'yata,” Manalo said.
“We're going to write to World Boxing, we're always speaking to the technical delegate. Ayaw na nga akong kausapin eh. We're always speaking to them. We're speaking to the Thai officials, who are also Asian boxing officials. They're just promising us na, okay, it's going to be fair. We're not doing anything here. That's what they've been telling us. Pero, okay, we'll write to World Boxing, our international federation, to at least have an inquiry. Tingnan n'yo lang kung ano'ng nangyari. May irregularities ba o wala? And then they decide for themselves.”
DAYAAN SA SEA GAMES BOXING?
— Jonathan Andal (@JonathanAndal_) December 19, 2025
Naniniwala si Marcus Manalo, sec gen ng Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (ABAP), na nagkadayaan sa SEA Games boxing events matapos hakutin ng Thailand ang 14 sa 17 gold medals sa boxing | POC Media @gmanews pic.twitter.com/FrHbE5p0Yi
Manalo emphasized that the association will also assess areas for improvement for Filipino boxers.
The Philippines ended the SEA Games with one gold medal, three silvers, and six bronzes in boxing.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
