Boxer Manny Pacquiao was denied entry to the 2024 Olympic Games

The International Olympic Committee has declined boxer Manny Pacquiao's participation in the 2024 Olympics, as reported by ESPN.

The Philippine Olympic Committee received a refusal regarding the 45-year-old athlete's participation in the Olympic Games. According to the IOC, they have opted to adhere to the age limit for boxers, which is set at 40 years. This rule was established back in 2013 and serves as the primary reason.

It's worth noting that the Philippines submitted a request to the IOC regarding Manny's participation last year. They sought to obtain the so-called "universal" access to the Paris Games. These invitations to the competition are granted to countries with few athletes at the Olympics, and who typically struggle to qualify.

However, as explained by the IOC in their response, universal slots are not distributed among countries that, on average, had more than eight athletes in individual disciplines in the last two Olympics – a category that applies to the Philippine Olympic Committee.