Esteban hits PFA

Former Filipino fencer Maxine Esteban admitted she never wanted to leave the Philippines but the national sports association kicked her out.

Esteban, who now plays for the Ivory Coast, said in a radio interview yesterday that she felt betrayed that the Philippine Fencing Association removed her from the national team while recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The 22-year-old fencer announced her decision to shift countries last May.

"I did not give up on my country. I gave up on my federation because they gave me up (on me) first," Esteban said.

"I was offended because I was removed from the national team roster without a written notice and I was a member of the national team for eight years with a good standing."

"I was kicked out of the team while I was recovering from an injury which I got while competing for our country."

Esteban's absence hampered the country's chances for a gold medal after the Philippines took home five silver medals and five bronze medals in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia last May and ending the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China last September empty-handed.

What's worse is Samantha Catantan, one of the country's top fencers, also went down with an injury after getting an ACL injury in the Phnom Penh Games.

Esteban, who is vying for a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics, said she was excused by the PFA to heal her injury and skip the five-legged SEA Games qualifier.

"I would have joined these qualifiers even though I knew full well I had a torn ACL but I relied on the excuse letter and thinking that the federation supported me," Esteban said.

"I wasn't able to join the qualifiers but there are those in the national team that got in even though they didn't play there. Maybe the transfer would have been avoided if the rule was applied equally and to all without any exemptions," Esteban said.

"The problem is they issued me an excuse letter and some people didn't join the qualifiers but got it."

"I have not disrespected the federation. In fact, I went out of my way to extend my help to the team to anybody who needed it."