THE PVL maintained its adamant stance on Alohi Robins-Hardy’s ineligibility to join Farm Fresh through free agency.
PVL commissioner Sherwin Malonzo laid bare the league rules restricting the 6-foot-3 Fil-Hawaiian playmaker’s direct entry to the Foxies.
Free agency signings will only be allowed for players who previously suited up for a PVL team since the league turned pro in 2021.
READ: Why Lorene Toring can play for Farm Fresh and Alohi Robins-Hardy can't
Such a rule also states how players who only played in the PVL before 2021 must undergo the drafting process in order to return to the league.
“Alohi is a good addition to our league. She’s a good player but because of the regulations that we created earlier this year and all the teams know about it naman eh. You have to have played from 2021 until 2024,” Malonzo said.
“’Pag part ka ng mga teams, any team ni-lineup ka during those periods, you are considered a veteran player, so you don’t have to go through the draft.”
First failed attempt
There was an attempt back in the league’s first pro season to include Robins-Hardy in Cignal’s roster — one that fell through due to issues with her personal documents.
To formalize Robins-Hardy’s entry to the league, all pertinent documentation must be cleared before she can apply for the PVL Draft.
And only then can she be part of a PVL team, for good.
“I think there was an attempt on Cignal’s part back then, but I’m not sure about that. Since hindi siya na-lineup, she has to go through the draft process, where she needs to submit certain documents,” Malonzo said.
“She needs to work on it kung Filipino siya talaga. She needs to get at the very least a Philippine passport. ‘Yung iba sinasabi puwede na siguro travel document basta to prove na Filipina siya.
“Any document that proves her Filipino heritage but the passport ‘yung best proof na Pinay siya.”
Coach Alohi, maybe?
If not as a player, the option of securing Robins-Hardy’s services in a different capacity is open and permitted by the league.
May it be a prospective assistant coach or a practice player, any role bar playing on the court as a Farm Fresh player is allowed if the team is keen to keep her onboard before next year’s draft.
“[Farm Fresh] asked [for clarification] but more of verbal lang, so hindi namin alam paano ‘yung direction nila. Baka naman ili-lineup as coaching staff pa lang, hindi ko alam,” Malonzo said.
“Ang in-announce ay magiging part siya [ng team]. Maglalaro, pero could be practice player. Walang formal, malinaw na kung ano gagawin sa kanya.
“Kung ila-lineup, babalik ako sa regulations namin which is she has to go through the draft.”
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