EXCLUSIVE: Amid management fallout, Carlos Yulo still focused on Olympic bid
MANILA, Philippines – After parting ways with his management group, Carlos Yulo plans to keep his focus on his medal bid for the Paris Olympics.
In what seemed liked another distraction – amid controversies involving his family, love life, and alleged performance dip – the Philippine gymnastics star said he’s nearing his “success rate” just two months before the world’s biggest sporting event.
Yulo had ended his relations with KG Management Inc., which was formed by his former Japanese coach Munehiro Kugimiya, the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) announced in a statement on Saturday, May 11.
But Yulo “will continue to fulfill his endorsement obligations under current contracts,” the statement signed by GAP president Cynthia Carrion said.
“In Japan, coach Mune was hands-on, but when I moved to the Philippines, a Filipino manager took over. That’s when the mismanagement started,” Yulo told Rappler in Filipino on Saturday.
“Like when I’m training, I’ll be receiving legal letters during practice. They’ll call just for me to receive it. Of course, my focus and time in practice are very important.”
“I don’t want to take those kinds of distractions anymore,” the 24-year-old sports star added.
Yulo – the first Southeast Asian gymnast to win a world championship – also admitted that when he was younger, he worked on the basis of trust, sometimes hardly reading the details of his contract.
“When I reviewed the contract, I realized it was unfair,” he said, noting that GAP will continue to guide him.
“Ms. Cynthia (Carrion) has been helping me. I promised that I will still do all the deliverables [of existing contracts].”
Yulo said that by independently managing his career, he hopes to put more boundaries between his gymnastics and personal life.
“My [personal] relationship is out of gymnastics,” Yulo said. “If it’s in any way connected, I perform with a better well-being. I have a better mindset. Win or lose, I’m grateful.”
“With my partner, I learned to grow. Before, all I know is gymnastics. But when it comes to myself, I don’t know much. She helped me grow.”
Yulo still remains grateful to Kugimiya as their team-up resulted in two world championships in floor exercise and vault, and a huge haul of gold medals from the World Cup Series, the Southeast Asian Games, and the Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
“A thank you wouldn’t be enough,” Yulo said of his former Japanese coach. “Isa sa bumuo nang pagkatao ko, sinuportahan ako sa pangarap ko (He’s of those who helped me become who I am now and supported my dream).” – Rappler.com