[FILE] UP head coach Bo Perasol after the Maroons beat Ateneo for the first time in seven years. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Head coach Bo Perasol said in a statement the Fighting Maroons were initially set to go on a training camp in the United States but the processing of their papers wasn’t fast enough so they elected to join the Filoil tournament instead.
Just as the summer tournament got going, the players’ papers were approved and their training camp was then given the green light prompting the team to drop out during the quarterfinals.
“Prior to the tournament, we made plans on training abroad in the United States,” said Perasol. “Our training abroad was contingent upon securing the visas for our players, of which there was no guarantee.”
“As a team, we agreed that if we cannot be complete in our training abroad, we will not go at all.”
It was during the uncertainty in the players’ applications that UP elected to play in the Filoil tournament since the Fighting Maroons have participated in the preseason games every year.
Centro Escolar University, the fifth seed in Group A, will instead take UP’s place in the quarterfinals.
Perasol said they received the approval for the players’ visas at the same week as they played its final match of the eliminations against the University of Santo Tomas and thus prompting them to quickly make travel arrangements for the United States.
“The window for our training is small and unfortunately, it ran across the same time as the quarterfinals and onwards of the tournament, “ said Perasol whose Fighting Maroons won the silver medal in Season 81.
“We regret pulling out and we promise to make this up in future Filoil Flying V Preseason Cups. “We deeply apologize to the fans, the media, and other teams participating in the tournament, and most especially to the organizers of this wonderful tournament.”/ac