Tolentino confident of Sanchez ‘okay’

Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham “Bambol’’ Tolentino is confident that Kayla Sanchez will be able to represent the country in the 2024 Paris Olympics, saying history favors the star swimmer’s request for a waiver of the three-year residency imposed on athletes switching federations.

“[Such a request] gets granted ninety-nine percent by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) in the spirit of Olympism. I have yet to hear an athlete who appealed to compete [immediately] for another country get turned down,’’ said Tolentino, the comebacking Tagaytay City mayor who previously served as Cavite’s representative in Congress thrice.

“I’m confident that Kayla can compete for us in the Olympics. The IOC doesn’t want to deprive an athlete just because of a three-year residency,’’ Tolentino said.

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The 22-year-old Sanchez is an Olympic silver and bronze medalist while representing Canada in the women’s relays of the 2021 Tokyo Summer Games. INQ