Olympian pole vaulter EJ Obiena has spoken out against the malicious rumors circulating online about him and Olympic gold medalist Carlos Yulo.
Obiena firmly denied any involvement in the personal matters surrounding his fellow athlete and slammed speculations and false stories about their alleged rivalry.
Carlos Yulo has been at the center of numerous controversies regarding his strained relationship with his family, with his girlfriend, Chloe San Jose, also being drawn into the media spotlight.
Moreover, some netizens and online platforms were also reportedly attempting to pit Obiena and Yulo against each other, creating unnecessary drama between the two celebrated athletes.
In a lengthy online post posted on his official social media accounts, EJ set the record straight and addressed the fake news propagated by certain vloggers and online sites.
“I have hoped and tried to stay silent and not fuel any more of the misleading stories,” Obiena began.
“It’s a sad state of affairs when stories are fabricated to get clicks and likes and shares. Journalism is a noble profession driven by FACTS. It’s a shame it is sometimes abused,” he added.
In his post, Obiena emphasized that this would be his only statement on the matter, aiming to put an end to the false narratives.
EJ emphasized his close friendship with Carlos, writing, “I am friends with Caloy and have been for many years. And for decades to come.”
“I don’t compete with my friend Caloy and I deeply respect him. He is a great champion for our country, and I applaud him. I am proud of him. I am thankful for the glory he has brought to our country,” he added.
Obiena stressed that he does not comment on his private life or anyone else’s, including Yulo’s.
“I don’t comment on my private life and I certainly don’t want outsiders commenting on it. That’s why it’s called ‘Private life.’ It’s personal. It’s nobody else’s business,” the national athlete explained.
He continued, “I HAVE NEVER MADE A SINGLE COMMENT regarding Caloy’s private life and I never shall. […] I know when to keep my mouth shut, and when it comes to anyone’s private life, this is one of those times.”
He urged people to rely on his official social media for accurate information and condemned clickbait stories as abusive.
“If you ever want to know what I say, come here or my other social media, and you’ll see it. If some click-bait site is making up stories to suck you into the drama, recognize it for what it is. It’s abuse. It’s not journalism.”
Obiena ended his post with a plea to the public to stop spreading false information just to gain clicks and views, saying, “Let’s focus on cheering our athletes on, instead of creating false drama to sell advertising space,” he added.
EJ is currently recovering from a fractured spine that resulted in his early exit from the 2024 post-Olympic season. He plans to return next year to compete in the 2025 World Athletics Indoor Championships and the 2025 World Athletics Championships.