Yulo family drama, media keep distance!

PRODUCING two gold and two bronze medals and finishing 39th place in the final medal tally, the Philippine Centennial delegations in the just concluded 2024 Paris Olympics return as triumphant heroes and a windfall of incentives, much deserve recognition and citations awaits the 22-strong athletes, who made this part of the world and its people even more prouder.

Though we fell short by a medal that would have matched the country's five (one gold, two silvers and one bronzes) medals hauled in the last Olympics in Tokyo. Its' still a job well done for our athletes, who endlessly dedicated their whole life in preparation and training to get a chance of a lifetime shot at glory. The dream of every athletes.

The country's first-ever Olympic gold was unexpectedly delivered by lady weightlifter in Hidilyn Diaz in the 55kg weight category, before male boxer Carlo Paalam (in men's 50kg) and Nesthy Petecio( women's) bagged silver each and a lone bronze also in boxing by Eumir Marcial (men's 55kg) In Paris, a pair of bronze medal, produced by couple of Pinay boxers, Aira Villegas, 47 kg weight class, Tokyo Olympics veteran Petecio, in the 57 kgs class.

Both Villegas and Petecio are stand to get P2M for their effort and a series of privileges and pledges from the government, business and private sectors.

We all know it by now, the 24-year old Carlos Edriel Yulo, made history and been the talk of the town, following his monumental double-gold medal triumph in artistic gymnastics (floor exercise and vault), which is the first-ever of its kind happened in the 100 year participation of the Philippines in the Olympics since swimmer Teofilo Yldefonso gave the country its first medal (bronze) during the 1928 Games in Amsterdam.

Yulo's double golden performance, is now worth more than P50 million, from cash incentives as provided by a government legislation, bonuses, in kind, unlimited privileges (such as food, drinks, basic necessities, travel, concert, movies and game tickets. And lots more. But amidst of all the celebration and funfare, the "golden boy" gymnast is facing a long standing feud with no-less than his own mother.

After having a glorious moment in Paris after winning his second gold medal, Yulo's mom called a press conference while graving in tears, throwing accusation of discontent the way she's allegedly being threated by her son's finances and the whole family, which the younger Yulo rebutted the said accusation one-after the other during a video call interview.

The Yulo family drama, even gained international prominence, as it landed in the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) News and feature story of the week.

This kind of controversy, as in this corner (Above The Rim), wherein a son and mother going up against each with accusation and counter is not good to be publicize or sensationalize, for that matter. Because we (the media, main stream and bloggers) are guilty in demonizing both parties in every story we write,particularly of bad publicity.

In my ten cents opinion, we should let Caloy , his matriarch and the rest of Yulo family resolve their own problem, after all its a family matter, and I am requesting my colleagues in the media, main stream, bloggers and haosiaos to leave them and just join in celebrating Yulo's historic achievement.