Jamie Lim: Competing for PH flag is everything
AS a Filipino athlete, there’s no greater feeling than winning a gold medal, watching the Philippine flag being raised in an international tournament, and hearing the national anthem being played in the background.
This is why it saddens the two-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Jamie Lim that the Philippines now runs the risk of being banned at the 2024 Paris Olympics unless the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) fully complies with the World AntiDoping Agency (WADA) code.
The Philippines being banned or not, Lim said the Filipino athletes will continue to play and fight for the country.
“It’s sad because that’s everything — to be able to raise your flag and hear the national anthem. I’m sure it’s quite a sad news but I’m sure the Filipino athletes will still fight for the country,” Lim said to The Manila Times at the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Awards Night on January 29 at the Diamond Hotel, where she received the Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of her late father, Philippine basketball legend Samboy Lim.
As far as Jamie and the Philippine Karate Federation are concerned, they have religiously complied with the WADA code.
Lim said that they have been informed about the list of supplements or drinks that are not approved by WADA and what they are allowed to take before competition.
“We were informed, we were taught very well, we’re lectured very well about the rules so we just continue following the rules and do what we have to do,” she said.
The same is true for the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP), which makes sure its athletes, led by the Paris Olympics-bound Carlos Yulo, remain clean from performanceenhancing drugs.
“Us in gymnastics, we’re perfect with WADA. Every time we take anything, we check it [thoroughly],” said GAP president Cynthia Carrion.
“Doping is always contacting Carlos Yulo everywhere he goes to make sure that they check his status because they really want him to not burn himself. We make sure that anything he takes, we check. We’re very strict. He cannot take anything that is not WADA approved. We make sure that it its WADA approved.”
Meanwhile, the PSC, in partnership with the Philippine National Anti-Doping Organization (PHI-NADO), reported that it is nearing full compliance with the WADA Code.
“A series of activities in relation to the compliance was conducted by PHI-NADO from September to December of last year, prior to the extended deadline set by WADA last January 22nd,” the PSC said in a statement on January 26. “After receiving evaluations from WADA, certain revisions relating to critical requirements of the Code are now being worked upon. PHI-NADO has reported that we are nearing closure for these requirements within a 21day period.”