Lesson learned.

This was the sentiment of Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Bambol Tolentino after an incident that saw the national bodybuilding team being sent home for not complying with the doping requirements set by the Hanoi Southeast Asian Games organizers.

“I did everything up to the last minute, but they invoke some rules which could have been remedied if some officials are really ‘working officials’,” Tolentino said.

In an article by the AFP, the PH bodybuilding team of eight men and one woman were barred from competing in this edition’s biennial meet after failing to fulfill anti-doping rules.

An official said the PH squad had not provided sufficient evidence that the athletes had done doping tests three weeks in advance, which is a requirement indicated in the events handbook.

Filipino bodybuilders were reportedly learned of their predicament when they arrived in Hanoi on Wednesday, with the team desperately trying to find a way to compete.

But technical delegates were adamant of the decision, saying that the doping certificate is a must in the competition.

It was only the reason that the PH bodybuilders were not allowed to compete.

Bodybuilding is being competed for the first time in nine years.

The last time the PH team won a medal in the sport was at the 2007 Thailand edition courtesy of Dulce Purugganan in women’s fitness.