Paola Mautino, a prominent 29-year-old Peruvian athlete, denounced through social media that the Peruvian Institute of Sport (IPD) has withdrawn financial support from her and over 100 national athletes after the Lima 2019 Pan American Games.
"They have completely withdrawn the financial support that allowed me to dedicate myself to this full-time. That is the trust that the current directors of the IPD have in their athletes. The Pan American Games ended, and so did the support. Sport in Peru is over, when it should be the opposite," states a portion of the message she posted.
Mautino emphasized that the IPD has withdrawn support from athletes who broke national records, won international medals, and excelled in their disciplines, which will harm their training towards their qualification for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. "They are cutting our wings and limiting our preparation," she added.
"I hope that the IPD management becomes aware and reconsiders their decision before we lose more athletes and the investment made for the Pan American Games was in vain," concludes the Peruvian long jump athlete, the third best in South America in Lima 2019.
