Volleyball row over as LVPI set to be recognized by FIVB

MANILA, Philippines -- The Larong Volleyball ng Pilipinas, Inc. will pay the $80,000 debt owed by its predecessor, the Philippine Volleyball Federation, to the International Volleyball Federation or FIVB for almost a decade now.

LVPI president Joey Romasanta said TV5, which is owned by sports patron Manny V. Pangilinan and headed by former Gilas coach Chot Reyes, will shoulder the payment in time before the April 30 deadline.

Romasanta said the money will come as part of TV5's coverage contract in the Asian Under-23 Women's Championship the country will host this May.

"The FIVB just wants to know if we will pay. And we told them we will," said Romasanta. "We're not just assuming assets, we're also taking in the liabilities that's why we're making it a priority to pay the debt."

Romasanta was reacting to the letter sent by the FIVB and the Asian Volleyball Confederation to the LVPI a few days back about the debt.

"The FIVB hereby recognized the LVPI under the leadership of its president, Mr. Jose A. Romasanta, as the legitimate authority to govern volleyball in the Philippines, provided the debut of USD 80,000 is paid to the FIVB on or before April 30, 2015," said in a letter signed by Dr. Ary Graca from Laussanne, Switzerland.

"AVC has acknowledged that the LVPI has already responded in four conditions except the FIVB's debt that is guaranteed to pay within April 30, 2015," said AVC secretary-general Shanrit Wongprasert in a separate letter.

"As the above mentioned effort of the LVPI for the development of volleyball in the Philippines, AVC is pleased to inform you that AVC has recognized the LVPI as the sole National Volleyball Federation in the Philippines," he added.

PVF president Edgardo "Boy" Cantada, for his part, brought his secretary-general Ottie Camangian and members of the Amihan and Bagwis teams to plead with the POC but to no avail since the latter has already recognized the LVPI as the legitimate volleyball group.