- Manny Pacquiao won world titles in eight weight classes before retiring in 2021
- The authorities have confirmed that the age limit for boxers of 40 years will be maintained.
- DailyMail.com provides the latest international sports news.
Manny Pacquiao’s hopes of competing at the Paris Olympics have been dashed after the International Olympic Committee decided not to change its entry rules to allow the 45-year-old boxing great into the ring.
Pacquaio retired from professional boxing in 2021, but the former eight-weight world champion was hoping to return at this summer’s Games.
However, on Sunday, the IOC revealed it had written to Olympic officials in the Philippines to confirm that the age limit for boxers of 40 will remain in place.
The limit for Olympic boxing was changed from 34 to 40 in 2013, a move that would have allowed Pacquaio to attempt to compete at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
He decided not to do so at the time when he was also elected senator in his home country.
Manny Pacquiao’s hopes of competing at this summer’s Paris Olympics have faded
The IOC is now in charge of Olympic boxing after it derecognised the governing body of the International Boxing Association.
It is unclear whether Pacquaio would have attempted to earn a spot at the Paris Olympics in one of two qualifying tournaments opening later this month in Italy and in May in Thailand.
The Philippine Olympic body had talked about trying to achieve so-called “universality” entry to the Paris Summer Games.
In practice, these are free event passes given to countries that have few athletes in the Olympics and typically fight to qualify on merit.
Pacquiao in action against Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather during an incredible boxing career
However, the IOC explained on Sunday that the Philippines had been too successful to benefit from the plan.
“Universality places are not allocated to (teams) with an average of more than eight athletes in individual sports/disciplines in the last two editions of the Olympic Games,” the IOC said. “This is the case of the Philippine Olympic Committee.”
Pacquaio ended his historic career in September 2021 at age 42 after 72 fights, winning 12 world titles in a record eight different weight divisions.
These medal matches for this year’s Games will take place at the Roland Garros tennis complex.