The Premier Volleyball League (PVL) confirmed on Thursday that Alohi Robins-Hardy, despite being sought after by Farm Fresh, must enter the 2025 draft if she wishes to play in the league.
The announcement was made following concerns raised by Farm Fresh about Robins-Hardy’s direct-hiring eligibility.
The league released an official statement clarifying its position, referencing two key dates when important policy decisions were communicated.
“On May 1, 2024, the league issued a memorandum to all member teams outlining the free agent rules and draft guidelines, specifying that ‘All players who wish to play in the PVL, but have not played in the league since its professional status began in 2021 until the first conference of 2024, must apply and go through the draft process,’” the statement read.
Another significant date mentioned was June 2, 2024, when the league distributed a list of players eligible for direct hiring.
Robins-Hardy, however, was absent from that list, emphasizing her ineligibility for direct recruitment.
Farm Fresh’s Response
Farm Fresh team manager CK Kanapi-Daniolco addressed the issue earlier on Thursday during a press conference held at Gloria Maris in San Juan City.
The concurrent Converge governor explained the team’s pursuit of Robins-Hardy and detailed the reasons behind the attempted direct hire.
“We were informed of the free-agent rules before the draft,” Kanapi-Daniolco shared. “Our team was only six or seven players deep, and we wanted to build a competitive roster, so we pursued Robins-Hardy after confirming she had secured her Filipino passport.”
Kanapi-Daniolco also alleged that PVL president Ricky Palou initially gave the green light for the direct hiring, noting that Farm Fresh consulted with him if they could sign a “former Cignal player.”
“That’s why Boss Frank [Lao] asked President Ricky Palou if it was possible to recruit her [Robins-Hardy],” she said. “He said yes, as long as she had a Philippine passport. We asked because we knew the rules, but if we’d been told no, we wouldn’t have pursued it.”
Robins-Hardy played in the PSL from 2019-20. She was never part of the Cignal pool even during the 2021 PVL bubble tournament.
However, as the league’s official statement points out, the PVL’s guidelines are unequivocal.
PVL’s Stance
Despite Farm Fresh’s defense, the PVL insists that the rules in place take precedence over any miscommunication.
The league emphasized the importance of following established policies for maintaining fairness and structure across all teams.
“The PVL’s official guidelines take precedence over all other considerations,” the league said in its statement. “These regulations were presented to all teams and accepted by the same.”
