Olympic champion Carlos Yulo withdraws from SEA Games 33 following Thailand's medal restriction

"He is not going to compete, not at all," Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) president Cynthia Carreon told Rappler on Oct. 18. "The country, Thailand, is not thinking of the athletes. They’re thinking of the medal gain that they can have."

Media previously reported that Thailand has removed the individual all-around and team events, in which the Philippines were considered favorites. It also limits the gymnasts like Yulo one apparatus in the final of individual events, which means a gymnast can join two apparatus but can only win gold in one.

Carlos Yulo at the 2025 Asian Men's Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Incheon, South Korea in June. Photo by Instagram/@c_edrielzxs

Yulo, 25, has competed in three SEA Games editions, winning nine gold and nine silver medals. He added two Olympic gold medals at Paris 2024, in floor exercise and vault.

At the SEA Games 32 in Cambodia, he won two golds and two silvers, as the host only allowed him to win a maximum of four medals out of seven events. His teammates John Ivan Cruz and Juancho Miguel Besana also clinched gold. At this SEA Games, Yulo trusts his teammates to get the job done.

"He said, ‘I will give it to my teammates. They can win the apparatus. They can win one,'" Carreon added.

GAP said it supports Yulo’s decision to skip the SEA Games.

"They’re giving only one apparatus. If they give Carlos all, he’s going to win all the apparatus for sure. So they’re giving him only one," Carreon told Manila Times.

Yulo and his younger sister Elaiza, along with Cruz and Basena are in Jakarta, Indonesia for the 2025 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, which takes place from Oct. 19 to 25. On Monday, the Olympic champion dominated the vault and placed second in the floor exercise to earn a spot in the finals.