Philippine Superliga team owners unanimously voted to deny the appeal by Team Iriga to reconsider Grethcel Soltones’ one-year ban and P50,000 fine as penalties for playing in an unsanctioned match outside of the league.
The decision was branded “absurd” by the Premier Volleyball League, where Soltones plays, saying the power-hitting star merely did her part to raise funds for a foundation established to raise scholarship funds for children of soldiers who gave up their lives in the line of duty.
PSL representatives voted 7-0, upholding the league’s decision to ban and fine Soltones.
Team Iriga, however, does not have a contract yet with Soltones, to the dismay of league officials who have imposed a rule on all teams to sign their players to a minimum of one year with a one-league rider in the contract, meaning players are not allowed to play outside of the PSL while they are under contract with their respective teams.
Minus the contract, it isn’t clear if Soltones herself would pay the fine or how the PSL plans to extract the sanction from the San Sebastian star.
Soltones saw action in a one-game affair dubbed the PVL All-Star Game. The charity match was held to raise funds for the benefit of HERO Foundation.
“I don’t see anything wrong with what Gretchel did. In fact she should be commended for helping in this fund-raising event by her participation,” said Ricky Palou, president of Sports Vision, which organizes the PVL.
“The suspension and hefty fine on Soltones by the PSL officials is absurd and totally uncalled for,” Palou said in a statement. “In the first place, Soltones has no contract with the PSL. She is only on loan to the team of Iriga as her mother league is the PVL.”
Palou added that the PVL All Star was scheduled at the start of the 2017 season, before Soltones agreed to play on loan for Team Iriga.
Team Iriga could not vote during the deliberation.