The Philippine Olympic Committee General Assembly is expected to officially suspend the Philippine National Volleyball Federation during its General Assembly in June.
This after the International Volleyball Federation, or FIVB, suspended the PNVF on Friday, just hours after the Philippine Sports Commission withheld all funding for the national sports association.
The POC, according to its president Bambol Tolentino, received the FIVB email suspending the PNVF, which was also debunked by the Asian Volleyball Confederation for its withdrawal of support for AVC president Tats Suzara, the federation’s former president.
Tolentino said that the POC suspension of the PNVF is reflexive because the POC recognizes national federations that are recognized or aren’t in conflict with their international federations.
“The POC will abide by the decision of the IF,” Tolentino said. “It’s their internal rules, but the POC will always be for the welfare of the athletes, their developmental program and the Olympic movement.”
The FIVB suspended the PNVF headed by Tony Boy Liao “with immediate effect,” saying the “decision follows serious governance concerns and multiple purported violations of the FIVB Code of Ethics which are currently under investigation by the independent FIVB Ethics Panel.”
The FIVB created an Ad Hoc Committee to “ensure stability and proper governance during this suspension” and to “temporarily oversee the affairs of the PNVF in accordance with the FIVB General Regulations.”
The committee is composed of five FIVB officials with sensitive responsibilities, except for Alexa Dabao, the FIVB’s Legal Contractor in the Philippines.
Tolentino said he will seek clarification from the FIVB on the context of the Ad Hoc Committee’s takeover of the PNVF’s responsibilities.
“We will clarify who will take over the PNVF’s domestic affairs,” Tolentino said.
Once officially suspended, the PSC will follow suit in striking all support for the PNVF.
The POC has taken a “caretaker” role over various national sports associations, which had issues with their IFs, among them the tennis and billiards national federations.
Tolentino expressed immediate concern over the women’s national team, which will see action in the Asian Volleyball Confederation Women’s Volleyball Cup that starts this Saturday (June 6) in Candon City.
