The Premier Volleyball League (PVL) has made a last-minute adjustment to its six-team lineup for the two-week Invitational after Japanese club Kurashiki Ablaze withdrew from the tournament.
Kurashiki, which captured the crown in the 2023 edition of the Invitational, pulled out of the competition due to an internal issue involving its head coach.
“We regret to inform you that we received a notice from the Japan Volleyball League indicating that there may have been a compliance concern within our team,” said Daisuke Watanabe, Representative Director of Ablaze Co. Ltd., in an official statement.
“In response to this notification, our team has decided to immediately commence an internal investigation and suspend all activities until the details of the incident are fully clarified,” he added.
“It is with great regret that we must inform you of our decision to withdraw from participating in the PVL Invitational. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this sudden decision, made so close to the start of the tournament, may cause to all parties involved,” Watanabe further said.
(C) PVL Images
With Kurashiki officially out, the league is bringing in the fifth-placed team in the PVL on Tour to complete the cast.
However, an invitation was sent to Farm Fresh team owner Frank Lao, who opted to field the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles instead, since the Foxies are not yet ready and still lack a complete roster in training.
The Thunderbelles finished sixth in the On Tour games.
