GOODBYE LVPI ?

Mahigit apat na taon nang namamayagpag ang Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas Incorporated (LVPI) bilang National Sports Association (NSA) sa volleyball sa bansa. Bumuo at nagpadala ito ng mga pambansang koponan sa iba't-ibang mahahalagang torneo. Sa tulong ng Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), nanatiling NSA ang LVPI mula 2015 hanggang sa kasalukuyan.

Subalit sa paglabas ng 36th FIVB World Congress Minutes and Appendices, maliwanag na tapos na ang mga araw ng pamamayagpag ng LVPI. Batay sa nasabing dokumento, mismong ang FIVB ang nagsasabi at nagdedeklara na Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF) ang miyembro at wala nang kaugnayan pa ang LVPI sa FIVB. Sa deklarasyon ito, nangangahulugan na wala ng karapatan ang LVPI na bumuo at magpadala ng pambansang koponan sa ano mang torneo.

Sakaling magmatigas ang POC at patuloy pa rin nitong kilalanin ang LVPI at mismong LVPI ang manindigan na ito ang NSA sa volleyball, nanganganib na di makapaglaro ang mga koponan ng LVPI sa mahaba-habang panahon. Ang maari lamang lumahok na koponan ng bansa ay yung binuo ng PVF dahil ito ang miyembro ng FIVB. Sa ganitong sitwasyon, ang mga atleta at coaches ang higit na apektado.

Marahil, panahon na para tanggapin ng LVPI na tapos na ang mga araw ng panunungkulan nito bilang isang NSA. Alang-alang sa mga atleta, coaches at bansa, magparaya na sana ang LVPI. Sa ganitong paraan, makikita ng lahat na ang lubusang kapakanan ng mga atleta, coaches at bansa ang tunay na pinahahalagahan nito.

THE 36TH FIVB WORLD CONGRESS MINUTES AND ITS IMPACT TO PHILIPPINE VOLLEYBALL

For almost a year, the 36th FIVB World Congress Minutes was kept a secret and away from public scrutiny, particularly the Filipino volleyball community. And for understandable reasons. The minutes reveal  several important facts that adversely affect FIVB, AVC, POC and LVPI.

1. The minutes categorically state that PVF is not excluded from FIVB and that LVPI is not affiliated to the world-governing body for volleyball. These clearly confirm that it is PVF that is recognized by FIVB and must be the National Federation for volleyball in the Philippines. Not LVPI.

2. LVPI cannot remain provisionally recognized anymore by FIVB as the FIVB General Assembly voted to keep PVF as the one and only true member of FIVB for the Philippines. There can only be one member to FIVB per country as per FIVB Constitution. LVPI likewise cannot form and send teams to AVC and FIVB events as it is not affiliated to FIVB.

3. By virtue of what the minutes declare, POC  does not have a choice but to recognize and reinstate PVF. POC, according to its own Constitution, must recognize and affirm the institution that is recognized by its International Federation. It cannot recognize an institution that is not affiliated to its International Federation. Thus, POC must recognize PVF and not LVPI.

4. The FIVB decision to keep PVF and exclude LVPI took effect November 2018. But FIVB BA cleverly prevented any FIVB official document from leaking out to reveal this very important fact. Thus, FIVB BA, POC and LVPI were able to do what they please without the public knowing the real deal. Only now that the minutes came out that people realize the injustice perpetrated by the very institutions tasked to protect and serve the sport well.

The unexpected emergence of the 36th FIVB World Congress Minutes truly clarify several important points that FIVB BA, AVC, POC and LVPI obviously want to remain unclear. The minutes and its clarifications hopefully will serve the bigger purpose of truth and justice not only to PVF but to the Filipino athletes as well as people in general.