Dear National Federation Presidents,
Warm greetings from the Philippines.
The Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF) will be in Buenos
Aires, Argentina on October 4-6, 2016, to get what is has been denied of for
the past two years. PVF will be in the 35th FIVB World Congress
to exercise its right to be heard and prevent its expulsion from FIVB.
In 2015, PVF was removed from FIVB’s list of recognized national
federations based on the recommendations of Philippine Olympic Committee (POC)
and Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC). Despite the FIVB Letter of
Attestation dated Nov.19, 2014, FIVB believed and acted on the recommendations
of POC and AVC without giving PVF a chance or an avenue to defend itself
against the allegations and recommendations made by POC and AVC. Kindly see
attached FIVB Letter of Attestation for your reference. FIVB did not grant PVF
a hearing where PVF could rebut the allegations of POC.
The rights and entitlements of PVF as an autonomous and
well-performing national federation were violated by the very institutions
within FIVB that are tasked to protect them which eventually led to PVF's
disenfranchisement. PVF was not accommodated by the FIVB Disciplinary, Appeals
and Ethics Panels and consequently denied of due process and fair treatment.
The Board of Administration (BA) likewise ignored pleas of PVF for fair
treatment and immediately granted recognition to the new Philippine volleyball
federation. In removing PVF, FIVB violated its very own constitution,
particularly Article 1 Section 1.4 which defines the autonomy and protection of
a national federation and Article 2 Section 2.3.2.1 d and e which states that
only the General Assembly or Congress can expel or accept a national federation
Clearly, the move of POC to create a new volleyball federation
and install its high-ranking officials as officers of the new federation shows
a conflict of interest. POC 1st Vice-President Joey Romasanta
became the president of the new federation. Atty. Ramon Malinao, legal counsel
of POC, became the legal counsel of the new federation as well. POC
2nd Vice-President Jeff Tamayo became the treasurer while POC
Consultant Benjamin Espiritu became the Managing Director of the new
federation. POC removed a national volleyball federation only to have its own
people handle volleyball in the Philippines. Propriety dictates that POC should
have tapped non-partisan and highly qualified individuals to run the new
federation to erase doubts concerning its true motive.
As a Filipino investigative sports journalist who has taken the
cudgels for PVF in asserting its right to be heard and defend itself, I hope
and pray that the FIVB General Assembly sees the injustice done to PVF. I truly
hope that PVF is given its day before the Judicial Panel where it can fairly
defend itself. And I hope that justice is served as well to PVF and everyone
concerned as FIVB member-nations vote no to the expulsion of PVF.
Justice, fair play, human decency, dignity and integrity demand nothing less
than a no vote.
Just say no.
Yours truly,
Eric F. Dimzon
Sports Journalist
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