The president of the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP), Cynthia Carrion, has issued an apology to gymnasts Emma Malabuyo, Aleah Finnegan, and Levi Jung-Ruivivar after they missed the homecoming parade for Filipino athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympics on August 14.
During a press conference streamed by Radyo Pilipinas on August 19, Carrion explained that she was only informed about the event at the last minute, leaving the gymnasts unable to participate. “I’m sorry, we didn’t get advice,” she told the gymnasts, adding that she would have been proud to have them alongside her during the parade.
The apology comes after Carrion previously stated that Malabuyo and Finnegan were not invited to the parade because they were not in the Philippines at the time. However, the gymnasts claimed they were not informed about the event, with Ruivivar expressing surprise on social media that all Filipino Olympians were invited except for the three of them.
Carrion expressed regret over the confusion and miscommunication, emphasizing that had she been aware of the situation earlier, she would have ensured the gymnasts’ participation. Malabuyo, Finnegan, and Ruivivar made history as the first female gymnasts to represent the Philippines in the Olympics in six decades.