Boxer Manny Pacquiao, 45, can’t compete at Paris Olympics

LAUSANNE, Switzerland — The International Olympic Committee will not change its rules to allow boxing great Manny Pacquiao to compete in the Paris Games aged five years over the entry limit.

Pacquiao, who retired in 2021, wanted to box at age 45 at the Paris Olympic tournament, where medal fights will take place at the Roland Garros tennis complex.

The IOC said Sunday it had written to Philippine Olympic officials to explain that the 40-year-old age limit for boxers would be maintained. The IOC now oversees Olympic boxing after withdrawing recognition from governing body the International Boxing Association.

The age limit for Olympic boxing was raised from 34 to 40 in 2013, a move that would have allowed Pacquiao to attempt to compete in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. when he was also elected senator in his home country.

It is unclear whether Pacquiao would have tried to earn a spot at the Paris Olympics in one of two qualifying tournaments that open later this month in Italy and in May in Thailand.

The Philippine Olympic body had spoken of trying to obtain so-called “universal” entry to the Paris Games. These are effectively free passes to events given to countries that have few athletes in the Olympics and generally struggle to qualify on merit.

However, the IOC explained on Sunday that the Philippines had been too successful to benefit from this program.

“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.”

Pacquiao ended his storied career in September 2021 at age 42 after 72 fights, winning 12 world titles in a record eight different weight divisions.