Maxine Esteban, other Olympians team up for National Athlete Protection Act

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino-Ivorian fencer Maxine Esteban is teaming up with fellow Olympians like Hidilyn Diaz and EJ Obiena on a proposed National Athlete Protection Act.

In an exclusive interview with Philstar.com, Esteban detailed how she tapped on a few Filipino Olympians she wanted to work with for the proposed bill.

The proposed National Athlete Protection Act aims to protect athletes through fair treatment, mental health support, injury prevention and post-career transition.

"The bill is about protecting the rights of the athletes — due process, the retention and selection process of the NSAs (national sports associations), and safe sport policies, and also long-term and medical support," Esteban explained further.

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Esteban said it was she who came up with the idea for the proposed bill before tapping fellow Olympians.

She confirmed there is a lawmaker serving as the bill's sponsor but could not divulge their name, adding she also did not know the bill's timeline yet.

"I wanted to encompass a lot of experiences of different athletes because I know that I've experienced a lot of grievances and problems," Esteban ended. "But I know that there are also other problems that other Filipino athletes face, and I want to also solve them."

The 24-year-old fencer switched sporting nationalities last year and represented Cote d’Ivoire at the 2024 Paris Olympics, finishing her stint in the women's foil individual table of 32.

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