Official: La Salle not banned from joining V-League

Sports Vision’s Tony Boy Liao (left), Ricky Palou and Moying Martelino. FILE PHOTO

Sports Vision president Ricky Palou reiterated that there is no ban on La Salle or any team from participating in the Shakey’s V-League.

 
“There is no ban on any team. Our league is an invitational league,” he said, reacting to earlier reports on La Salle’s decision to not join the collegiate conference of Season 12.

 
Palou added, “Every single year, we have invited La Salle to participate (in the V-League). Year in and year out, we invite all the teams including De La Salle University.”

 
The LVPI secretary general also declined to give a public apology in behalf of Sports Vision, saying that the controversy surrounding the league and La Salle coach Ramil de Jesus is a non-issue.

 
“We never said that La Salle is banned so why should we apologize? Why should anybody make an issue about this? It’s an invitational tournament and if they don’t want to join, it’s fine,” said Palou, who is also Ateneo’s athletic director.

READ: La Salle wasn’t invited to rejoin V-League, says De Jesus

 
Tournament commissioner Tony Boy Liao also added, “It’s common sense. Their women’s team isn’t joining, but their men’s team is,” as La Salle’s men’s volleyball team under coach Ronald Dulay will play in the collegiate conference of the Spikers Turf.

 
Palou even made it known that La Salle athletic director Emmanuel Calanog sent them a letter of regret and team manager Raffy Villavicencio clarified that the team’s decision to pull out is because of a previous commitment.

 
However, Palou said that the door is still open for La Salle to make a comeback in the future.

 
“We invite the top four to six teams in the UAAP and the NCAA. As long as La Salle is a top contender, they will always be invited,” he said. IDL