ONE of the female athletes who saw action in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games was reportedly three months pregnant when she competed in her event and lost.
The national women’s kumite team that she took part eventually won the bronze.
But the Philippine Sports Commission is set to look into her case since athletes who are on the family way are not supposed to be allowed to join competitions.
Commissioner Ramon Fernandez, who is currently talking to members of the Philippine karatedo community about her case, said they are just starting to learn about the situation.
“Ngayon lang namin na-discover ito,” said Fernandez.
He said he has delegated the case to the five-man task force that was formed by the PSC to look into allegations that several national karatedo athletes did not receive their full allowances during their 20-day training stint in Germany last July.
Fernandez identified the girl as Erica, and is listed with the national squad as Erica Samonte.
She is among the members of the national pool that went to Germany to train for the SEA Games.
According to Fernandez, he learned that she is now in the Middle East and has already given birth.
So far, when the national team arrived from Germany, she came in as a last minute replacement for another squad member.
By that time, the pregnancy tests that was conducted by the Philippine Sports Institute for female athletes was already over.
And, Samonte allegedly did not undergo a pregnancy test when she went to Kuala Lumpur.