Philippine volleyball squads down by 4 players due to health protocols

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines on Thursday tweaked the roasters of its two national women’s teams — Rebisco and Choco Mucho — seeing action in the Asian Volleyball Confederation Club Championship unfolding Friday in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand as four players weren’t cleared due to health protocols.

“The four players’ swab samples weren’t immediately cleared by local health authorities as the results were elevated to Bangkok where the main lab of Thai Dep’t of Disease Control is based,” Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) president Tatz Suzara said in a story posted in the federation’s website.

Minus the four, the country was now left with 20 players, which would be divided into 10 players per team.

Suzara did not mention who the four players were and did not give details as to who are the players moved from one team to the other.

“You cannot have only eight players on a team, which is bound to play so many number of matches,” said Suzara. “It’s a sound decision to balance the team — besides, all of the athletes in Thailand are members of the national team.”

This came after Kat Tolentino begged off, citing health protocols and was replaced by Gel Cayuna.

Brazilian consultant Jorge Edson Souza de Brito is handling Rebisco while Odjie Mamon Choco Mucho.