Double gold medallist's feud with biological mother who squandered his earnings from previous competitions eclipses historic win

By Edward Era Barbacena 

Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo's feud with his mother has been making headlines in his home country, threatening to eclipse the euphoria over his historic twin gold medal wins in the Paris Olympics.

At the centre of the disagreement is how Angelica Poquiz-Yulo managed her 24-year-old son's finances and her reported disapproval of his girlfriend, a content creator on TikTok.

Intense coverage of the spat - which has played out in interviews, social media posts and even a hastily-arranged press conference - has prompted many to call on the media for restraint.

Mr Yulo is only the second Filipino to win an Olympic gold medal after weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz in the 2020 Tokyo games.

He is already a local celebrity and product endorser, with the twin medal haul only elevating his profile even higher while stirring national pride.

He will receive a 20 million-peso ( $349,000) cash bonus from the Philippine government. Corporate sponsors have pledged to give him a swanky condominium unit and a lifetime of free buffet meals and inasal, a local roasted chicken flavoured with lemongrass and ginger.

The capital city Manila has also started preparing festivities for his homecoming.

But soon after his second gold on Sunday, reports began to surface about an interview his mother had given to a local radio station that same day.

In that interview, Ms Yulo said that contrary to allegations, she did not mismanage her son's money and had in fact deposited it at a bank in Manila. She said she received money on her son's behalf.

Two days later, on 6 August, Mr Yulo released a video on TikTok, asking his mother where his past prize money had gone because he "never received" it.

Mr Yulo also said his Filipina girlfriend is not a "red flag" and that his mother had judged the woman because of her appearance and her liberal upbringing in Australia.

"My message to you, Ma, is I hope you heal and move on. I have forgiven you a long time ago. I pray that you are always safe and sound," Mr Yulo said in the TikTok video.

Ms Yulo then called for a press conference on 7 August to respond to her son's TikTok video and offered her hand in reconciliation.

She apologised for what she said in the interview, saying "rapid questions" from the media prevented her from thinking clearly.

Ms Yulo said she was issuing her "final word" on her disagreement with her son and that she was not after his money.

"This has reached an alarming level because now, the entire country is waiting for what each of us will say next, when this matter should have been kept private," she said.

"I am not a perfect mother and God knows that you are not a perfect son. There is no perfect family," she said.

Neither mother nor son had spoken since that press conference late on Wednesday.

On social media, fans have called for an end to speculation over Mr Yulo's personal life, asking to shift attention back to his historic feat in Paris.

Filipino audiences have a penchant for soap operas and gossip, especially when it involves public figures - who they are dating and how they are spending their money.

There is even a local slang for the chief gossip in the neighbourhood or the chat group - Marites, a common name for a Filipina woman.

During the pandemic lockdowns, then president Rodrigo Duterte joked that too much time at home has turned the nation of 115 million people into the "Republic of Marites".

But in the case of Mr Yulo, media attention has gone too far, said prominent journalism professor Danilo Arao.

"Let us not dilute the outstanding achievements in the 2024 Paris Olympics by reporting on trivial matters that do not carry news values and do not shape public opinion," Prof Arao told the BBC.

Reporting on family feuds or personal problems of private individuals promotes an "unacceptable culture of voyeurism and rumour-mongering", he said.

He said coverage of Yulo's win should instead focus on the challenges facing Filipino athletes because of a lack of state support.

The Yulo family feud has also reignited conversations on social media on the expectations for children, under Filipino culture, to always obey their parents, even if they don't think that it is to their best interest.

For now, social media users have resumed swapping funny memes about the country's new sports star.

One disinfectant brand likened Yulo's charm to its germ-killing power -- 99.99% effective. Never mind the 0.01% that do not like him.

For Ms Yulo, she acknowledged that hurtful words have been said, but that they remain a family.

"Our home is open, whether or not you have money, the door is open in case you want to come back," she said.