PHILIPPINE National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) president Tats Suzara made his stance clear in an ongoing rift with the Premier Volleyball League (PVL).
The PVL's staging of its midseason conference during the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball's (FIVB) mandated national team window from May 16 to October 15 prompted the PNVF's 'sanctions' on the country's only pro volleyball league, Suzara said.
That explains the local governing body's decision not to issue international transfer certificates (ITC) to foreign guest players in the 2023 PVL Reinforced Conference slated later this year, he added.
In a press conference during the final day of the 2023 Volleyball Nations League's Pasay City leg on Sunday, Suzara clarified the PNVF's stance and its implications moving forward.
"I hope the PVL and the team owners will understand that there's a [national team] calendar. Kung hindi kayo kukuha ng foreign players, PNVF will not call their attention," Suzara said.
"I do not like the word 'sanction.' Hindi ko na sinanction [ang PVL]. I just reminded them that the FIVB reminded us that there's a national team calendar and that you should not have a club league, dapat wala, [kapag] national team period. Players are focusing only dapat sa national team lang," he added.
He also revealed that discussions are planned with the PVL club managers and owners to provide a swift resolution to recent controversies.
"We have discussions [with PVL team managers] already. Sabi ko let the club owners know what is the calendar kasi baka hindi nila naiintindihan, so I have to give them a copy of the letter from the FIVB," Suzara bared.
"Mr. [Ricky] Palou is now talking to the team owners and I told them I'm ready to invite them, all the team owners, so that they will understand," he added.
With regional tournaments lined up for the women's national team in August, Suzara revealed a major change on how the nationals will be lining up.
"There's a Southeast Asian V. league in Vietnam and Thailand next month. We have a team and I will announce next week who will compose the team. Definitely not PVL [players], Suzara said.
"Baka mahirap talagang pakiusapan ang mga PVL team owners. They don't understand dahil they have their own commercial value so I'll just focus more on the young university players. I was very happy to talk to four universities who will support the national team starting in August," the PNVF chief revealed.
Suzara gave a strong statement of intent on how he envisions the future of Philippine volleyball.
"At least, I'm ready now with a new team na naka-focus lang sa national team this time para hindi na ko [nasasabihan ng] 'ginugulo ng PNVF ang PVL' kasi hindi naman eh. We are asking them to represent the Philippines, 'yun lang naman eh.
"We just have limited funds and ang habol lang natin is flag and country. we have no big investment naman sa PNVF. It's only in the national team."
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