7 THINGS THAT ARE CLEAR ABOUT THE CURRENT PHILIPPINE VOLLEYBALL CRISIS

courtesy of bworldonline.com

1. It is clear that Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF) is the one and only member of FIVB and AVC from the Philippines. As such, it is the entity that is entitled to be the one and only national federation for Philippine volleyball. It is also the only one that can form and send teams to FIVB and AVC events.

2. Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas Inc. (LVPI) is not a member of FIVB and AVC. It cannot send teams to compete in FIVB and AVC events.

3. Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) refuses to recognize PVF immediately to beat the deadline for the submission of entries to AVC events.

4. PVF has its share of incompetence as it fails to claim complete victory despite the favorable FIVB GA decision that was made last November 2018.

5. LVPI deceives the players, coaches and general public by pretending it can send teams to international volleyball competitions. LVPI knows very well that it cannot.

6. The Philippines will not be able to participate in AVC or FIVB events for 2020. Unless a miracle happens with POC having a change of heart and suddenly reinstates PVF before midnight, Philippine volleyball will come to a full stop in international competitions.

7. Players, coaches and fans must come together to save Philippine volleyball. The country's sports leaders do not care about volleyball and players at all. People must therefore show that those who love the sport and its athletes do.

PVF IS BACK WITH A VENGEANCE

PVF is back!

After an absence of five years, Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF) will set the country on the comeback trail in Asian volleyball. As the confirmed true national federation for Philippine volleyball  ( see http://www.fivb.com/en/thefivb/directory), PVF hopes to assemble and send teams to a number of AVC tournaments in 2020.

The acknowledged Philippine national federation for volleyball targets tournaments in the youth, junior and senior levels in the tough AVC circuit. Teams will be sent to the U17, U18, U19 and U20 tournaments while the seniors will play in the Club Championships and AVC Cup. The 30th SEA Games silver medalist Philippine Men's National Volleyball Team will participate in two events in 2020 to expose the team to tougher tournaments. PVF also intends to subject the men's team to a long-term program to ride on the historic win of the team at the recent SEA Games. The women's team, with a few changes, will embark on a similar program according to a reliable source.

Indeed, PVF is back. And with a vengeance at that!

TIME FOR PVF AND THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL VOLLEYBALL TEAMS

courtesy of sports.inquirer.net

FIVB and AVC name and list PVF as the national federation for the Philippines in their respective websites. The listings confirm that PVFis the federation that has the right to assemble and send teams to international tournaments and function as the governing body for Philippine volleyball.

But the possibility of PVF not being able to send teams to international tournaments remain high as POC has yet to officially reinstate PVF as a member. The deadline to submit entires to AVC events is January 15, 2020. Failure of POC to reinstate PVF before the deadline may disqualify the entries of PVF. Thus, we may very well see the 30th SEA Games silver medalist Philippine Men's Volleyball Team blocked from participating in any AVC tournament for 2020.

The problem now really lies with POC. POC conveniently ignores the fact that the decision of the FIVB General Assembly is not merely a vote of acceptance. The vote is a repudiation of the corruption that POC shamelessly displayed before FIVB. It is a vote to correct an injustice. It is a vote that effectively lifts the suspension of PVF in FIVB. It is a vote to give back to PVF all the rights of an FIVB and AVC member. 

It took POC, under Peping Cojuangco, merely seven days to remove PVF as a member. It is only fair then for POC, under Bambol Tolentino, to reinstate PVF with the same amount of time. Not only for the sake of PVF but the Philippine volleyball teams which badly need to improve and become world-class through international exposure.

IT IS PVF OVER LVPI WITH FINALITY

coirtesy of dugout.ph

FIVB listed and named Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF) as the national federation for the Philippines in its website last December 11, 2019. With that. Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas Inc. (LVPI) is effectively removed from FIVB and PVF is publicly declared as the official member of the world-governing body for volleyball.

While LVPI still shamelessly pretends to be the national federation for volleyball, the fact remains that all of its actions and undertakings remain unsanctioned by FIVB. At this point in time, LVPI will be unable to prove its affiliation, in any way, to FIVB. LVPI merely has its Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) membership to give its existence a semblance of legitimacy. But only national federations recognized by their respective international federations can be considered as national federations according to the POC, IOC OCA FIVB, AVC and PSC Constitutions making LVPI's claim of legitimacy seriously flawed. PVF. on the other hand, has the 36th FIVB World Congress Minutes and Appendices to prove its legitimacy as a national federation. The FIVB website listing further adds validity to PVF's claim of legitimacy. Thus, the controversy between LVPI and PVF regarding their respective claims to legitimacy is resolved with certainty and finality. It is definitely PVF over LVPI for Philippine volleyball.

The POC Membership Committee started work to finally remove LVPI and reinstate PVF in POC. The work is expected to be finished before the year ends to give POC and for that matter, PVF, a fresh start in 2020.

The journey for reinstatement for PVF was extremely difficult. But with the help of FIVB member-nations and a few independent POC members, the journey has come to a victorious end.

Mabuhay and PVF.

LOSING FAITH IN POC OFFICIALS

courtesy of en.wikipedia.org

What is currently happening in Philippine volleyball is truly an eye-opener for me as far as the nature of POC officials is concerned. While I do know that POC officials are mostly corrupt, the latest episode in Philippine volleyball shows just how corrupt to the bone some POC officials truly are.

Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF) remains suspended from FIVB because POC refuses to recognize PVF as the one and only FIVB member. To this day, POC has not given any reason why it refuses to recognize PVF. Despite the emergence of the 36th FIVB Congress Minutes and Appendices where it says that PVF remains the true member of FIVB and Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas Inc.(LVPI) is not affiliated to FIVB in any manner, POC remains stubborn in its stand of disenfranchising PVF and upholding LVPI.

The participation of LVPI in the 30th SEA Games shows just how shameless POC as it desperately stands by its decision not to recognize PVF and instead uphold LVPI. POC knows that LVPI is not allowed to participate in the biennial meet since LVPI is not a member of FIVB and AVC. All the eleven countries participating in the volleyball events know that LVPI is not a member of AVC. LVPI itself knows that it is not a member of AVC as well and has no business participating in the SEA Games.

Being the host country, it is imperative for the Philippines to be the first to observe rules and regulations for the Games. Sadly, the Philippines fails in this regard as POC chooses to turn a blind eye on justice and truth.

Shame on POC. Shame on the Philippines.

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.