With Philippine volleyball mandated by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) to form a legitimate national sports association, the sports’ top stakeholders have banded together to form a bloc.
Sports Vision Management Group president Ricky Palou; Asian Volleyball Confederation development and marketing official Tats Suzara; Beach Volleyball Republic founder Charo Soriano; and Premier Volleyball League commissioner Tony Boy Liao have joined forces for the upcoming elections, set on either the third or fourth week of the month.
Former rivals in Palou and former Philippine Superliga president Suzara came together to unite the fragmented volleyball scene.
“We are talking about unifying volleyball and not the positions,” said Palou, who was the former secretary-general of the Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas before being replaced by Ariel Paredes.
Last August, the FIVB requested that the Philippine Olympic Committee hold an election for a “legitimate” volleyball NSA.
FIVB director-general Fabio Azevedo wants it to happen before the governing body holds its world congress from February 5-7.
All stakeholders are required to attend the special election, including current LVPI president Joey Romasanta, PVF president Boy Cantada, Spiker’s Turf president Alyssa Valdez, PSL president Ian Laurel, and representatives from the collegiate leagues.
Speaking on behalf of Suzara and Liao, Palou shared that they are not aspiring for a high post as they want the next leader of Philippine volleyball to be a young and fresh mind.
“We’ll see what happens. I’m willing to be a board member but we should give it to the young ones. They have their own ideas and we’ll just be the ones to guide them.”
