Public debate ignites over Filipino champion Carlos Yulo’s family feud under Olympics video

Filipino gymnast Carlos Yulo. Photo from Carlos' Instagram

The video, uploaded on Sunday, attracted polarized comments, with some criticizing Carlos for his treatment of his family, while others defend his actions as justified given the circumstances.

"It was tragic-comedy when his mother took his prize money and he had to sue to get it back," one user commented.

"And yet after this, his countrymen turned their backs on him for standing his ground against his greedy and manipulative mother," another added.

Another argued: "His 2 golds are overshadowed by his attitude towards his parents which is not a good example to the youth."

Carlos’ dispute with his mother Angelica Poquiz Yulo was publicized in a TikTok video posted on August 6, in which the gymnast accused his mother of mismanaging his finances, misleading him about gymnastics incentives, and falsely accusing his girlfriend, content creator Chloe San Jose, of financial exploitation. The following day, Angelica held a press conference expressing remorse and explained her actions as driven by concerns over her children’s financial stability.

"The money was given to me," she said at the press conference, as reported by The New York Post. "As a mother, I was worried that my child might have financial problems in the future. So I invested it under my name."

Despite former Filipino politician and businessman Chavit Singson offering a 5 million Philippine peso (US$85,052) gift to encourage reconciliation between Carlos and his mother, the family rift remains.

During this period of controversy, it was noted that Angelica did not publicly celebrate Carlos’ Olympic victories, although she supported her other son Eldrew Yulo at the 3rd JRC Artistic Gymnastics Stars Championships in Thailand in November.

Carlos, at 24, is celebrated as the most decorated Filipino gymnast in history, according to Forbes. He made history at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris by becoming the first Filipino athlete to win two gold medals at a single Olympics, in the floor exercise and vault events.