THE Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), upon the blanket authority given by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), will supervise the elections for the national sports association for volleyball before the month ends.
POC President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said the FIVB requested the POC to hold the volleyball elections in time for the international federation’s online world congress from February 5 to 7 where a legitimate Philippine volleyball body will be recognized.
“There was already a request from the FIVB some time ago to hold a volleyball election before the FIVB’s general assembly this February,” Tolentino said. “Without a legitimate NSA, we cannot send national teams to FIVB-sanctioned tournaments abroad.”
Tolentino said the POC will be hands on in the electoral process that is set either in the third or fourth week of this month.
The FIVB, through its Director General Fabio Azevedo, wrote Tolentino for the second time last December 7 to reiterate the international federation’s desire for Philippine volleyball to hold elections. The FIVB first wrote Tolentino in August last year.
Ricky Palou, president of Sports Vision that organizes the Premier Volleyball League (PVL), said the elections ordered by the FIVB is a win-win solution for the volleyball community.
“That’s really fine, to unify all the volleyball community once and for all,” said Palou, adding the PVL will actively participate in the elections. “It’s good that the POC will be able to get everybody together. I hope everybody agrees.”
LVPI President Joey Romasanta said he will clarify his association’s status with the FIVB saying they were recognized by the international body’s executive board.
“We are seeking clarification on our status. We are not being [derecognized] by the FIVB, that needs to be cleared,” he said.
The FIVB requests for elections meant neither the LVPI, Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF) nor any other domestic volleyball organization is recognized by the FIVB.
“We will ask all volleyball stakeholders to cooperate and participate in the elections,” said Tolentino after the POC Executive Board held its first meeting for 2021 at the East Ocean Garden Restaurant in Pasay City.
Officials from the Philippine Super Liga and the PVF did not answer BusinessMirror’s calls and texted questions.
Azevedo stressed in his December letter that the FIVB wanted a Philippine volleyball body to be formed before the congress.
“We would also like to take this opportunity to kindly ask you to schedule a date as soon as possible for these democratic elections with the participation of all relevant stakeholders,” wrote Azevedo, who also congratulated Tolentino for his election as POC head.
“The FIVB request is urgent,” stressed Tolentino, adding the elections could either be in the third or fourth week of the month.