PVF hopeful PH team still gets SEAG chance

THE PHILIPPINE Volleyball Federation is clinging to faint hope that the Philippine Olympic Committee would still send their national teams, made up of the sport’s biggest stars, to the Southeast Asian Games.

Stripped of recognition by the POC after a leadership crisis hit its federation, the PVF, though secretary general Otie Camangian yesterday told the Inquirer that the men’s and women’s teams are continuously training for the SEA Games in June in Singapore.

“We’ve been reaching out to them to seek clarification,” said Camangian. “We still respect POC as our sports institution despite what’s happening now. We do believe we are doing our best on our side to settle the issues and problems and our wish is for everybody to sit down and talk.”

POC vice president Joey Romasanta had previously said he has the blessings of the international volleyball federation (FIVB) and the Asian Volleyball Confederation to look into the internal squabble of the PVF.

The POC still hasn’t formed a national team for Singapore but has more than 30 names in the candidates pool recommended by its appointed coaches.

“Nobody should stop these athletes desiring to be part of the national team,” said Romasanta. “The problem with some athletes is that they forgot how they become athletes. Are they athletes just because they get allowances?”