PSC 'aware and alarmed' on taekwondo sparring incident, supports ongoing probes

The Philippine Sports Commission on Wednesday said it is "aware and alarmed" about the taekwondo sparring incident where a yellow belter suffered injuries as her coach allegedly set her up to spar against a bigger and heavier male black belter.

"The video of the incident circulated in various platforms obviously showed that the neophyte had been mercilessly beaten by her opponent which caused her hospitalization," the sports body said in a statement.

The PSC also said it supports the investigations being conducted by the institution and the Philippine Taekwondo Association on the said incident.

"We support the on-going internal investigations spearheaded by the involved educational institution and the Philippine Taekwondo Association to address the matter and give accountability to the instigator of this maltreatment, and seek justice for the victim," the PSC said.

"These actions would greatly help all the stakeholders in sports in reminding them to handle their constituents - from coaches, staff, and athletes - with proper and systematic care, thus never repeating the same incident."

The agency added it will double its efforts on campaigning for a safe sports space.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News