PLDT will lodge an official protest following a controversial end to their five-set semifinals loss to Akari in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference.
Head coach Rald Ricafort confirmed the team’s plans to SPIN.ph hours after the match.
“Yes, may protest po. Mag-ffile kami ng protest. Nakita naman ng lahat ng nasa arena and nasa TV, so maghihintay na lang kami,” Ricafort said.
The play in question emerged in Set 5 at 14-13 with PLDT at match point.
As Akari’s Ezra Madrigal landed from a block attempt, her left arm scraped the net — one challenged by PLDT midway through the ongoing rally.
A long standstill ensued and no video challenge replay was shown in the live broadcast and the match venue.
But a decision did emerge: no net touch, point to Akari, which would lead to the unbeaten top seed winning its tenth straight and reaching the PVL Finals for the very first time.
Shortly after the match, PVL commissioner Sherwin Malonzo clarified on the league’s behalf that the on-court decision was in compliance with FIVB regulations on net touch infractions.
Malonzo cited Section 11.3.1 of FIVB rules which validates how Madrigal’s net touch happened during the ‘second motion away from play,’ making such infraction inviolable.
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