STA. ROSA, Laguna — PVL president Ricky Palou on Thursday refuted claims made by Farm Fresh that he entered into a gentleman's agreement with the team's owner with regards to Alohi Robins-Hardy's eligibility to play in the pro league.
Palou broke his silence in a chance interview on the sidelines of the 2024 Asian Beach Volleyball Championships in Nuvali on Thursday afternoon, just hours after Farm Fresh held a press conference to press Robins-Hardy's claim to eligibility.
Foxies team owner Frank Lao, through an official statement released to the media during the presser, claimed prior communications with Palou led him to believe they’ll be able to sign Robins-Hardy if she submits a Philippine passport.
READ: Farm Fresh owner claims Palou reneged on agreement on Robins-Hardy eligibility
Lao claimed Palou reneged on that agreement after the Fil-Am cousin of PBA veteran Gabe Norwood presented her passport.
However, Palou pointed out what he claimed was a missing pertinent detail in Lao’s narrative on how the latter first raised the idea of bringing in Robins-Hardy to the PVL.
“What happened was he [Frank Lao] tells me that he has this player, Fil-foreign, who has a Philippine passport. She used to play for […] Cignal [daw]. Sabi ko, ‘Kung naglaro siya ng may Philippine passport, naglaro sa Cignal, pwede.’”
“Hindi naman niya sinabi na sa PSL siya naglaro, hindi naman sa 2021 [on] na PVL,” Palou told SPIN.ph.
Prior to its inaugural rookie draft, the PVL drafted a rule communicated to all the member teams that all players who didn't play in the league since it turned pro in 2021 will have to gain entry through the draft process.
Palou also presented a different scenario when asked about Lao's claim that he told the team to secure 'letters of no objection' from majority of the other team owners to clear the way for Robins-Hardy to play in the pioneering league.
READ PVL stands firm on Alohi Robins-Hardy eligibility ruling
“In getting the signatures of the different teams, the owners, I said the owners of the different teams," Palou said. "Sabi ko, ‘you can try.’ Hindi ko naman sinabi na we will agree to that. Sabi ko, ‘you can try getting it.’ ‘Yun ang sinabi ko.
“Sabi ko, ‘it’s got to be the owners, if you’re going to go for that.’ ‘Yun lang naman sinabi ko.”
Lao claimed he has secured letters from Chery Tiggo, Petro Gazz, PLDT, Galeries Tower, Farm Fresh itself and sister team ZUS Coffee. The team owner said he was about to secure two more letters when Palou made a U-turn.
However, Palou claimed that granting for the sake of argument that he indeed agreed to such an arrangement, the six signatories in the letters are listed as team managers — not team owners — in the PVL’s official website.
Farm Fresh and ZUS Coffee, being the involved parties, should also not be part of the count, he added.
“I have not seen that document that says there’s six teams that signed ‘yes’ and agreed to that appeal. Wala naman silang pinapakita," he said. "Siyempre pumirma si ZUS Coffee at Farm Fresh. Hindi naman sila pwedeng pumirma, sister team sila eh."
Can Alohi still play?
Once and for all, Palou dismissed the prospect of Robins-Hardy playing in the PVL as Farm Fresh’s free agent signing, saying it will break existing league rules and leave a bad taste for the teams which have been compliant with such protocols.
“Wala [nang chance]. May rule eh, ‘di ba? We have a rule. Why will I exempt them from the rule? Eh ‘di nagalit lahat ‘yung 11, ‘yung 10 other teams sa’kin. Bakit ganu’n, may rule tapos hindi niyo sinusunod?
“Basta may rule, follow the rule lang. Ganu’n lang ‘yun.”
As per a league source, there was another PVL team which tried to secure Robins-Hardy’s services before Farm Fresh but opted not to push through due to the league’s rules on player eligibility.
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