POC to manage volleyball vote

According to the POC, an election for the volleyball NSA is necessary if the Philippines still wants to participate in international events. Jade Moya (file photo)

By Dugout Philippines

MANILA--The Philippine Olympic Committee (POC)—upon a relentless request from the International Volleyball Federation—will supervise elections for the national sports association for volleyball later this month.

POC President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” 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 Dec. 7 to reiterate the international federation’s desire for Philippine volleyball to hold elections. The FIVB first wrote Tolentino in August last year.

“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.”

Neither the Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas Inc. nor the Philippine Volleyball Federation is recognized by the FIVB.

“Therefore, 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 Paranaque City.

The FIVB, Azevedo furthered in his December letter, wanted a Philippine volleyball body to be formed before its World Congress that will be staged online from Feb. 5-7.

“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 wanted to recognize a legitimate volleyball NSA before its world congress. It’s urgent,” Tolentino stressed.

Tolentino said a committee will be created to supervise the volleyball NSA elections.

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