FARM Fresh is appealing to the Premier Volleyball League to let setter Alohi Robins-Hardy play for the Foxies in the All-Filipino Conference set to start this Saturday.
Team owner Frank Lao yesterday said the PVL is putting its foot down on the squad’s bid to include Robins-Hardy in their roster despite a gentleman’s agreement he forged with PVL president Ricky Palou last June.
Under the agreement, Robins-Hardy can play if she presents a valid Philippine passport. But Palou later had a change of heart, saying Alohi needs to join the PVL draft next year to be able to compete in the league.
The 5-foot-10 Alohi played for Cignal in the Philippine Superliga before returning to the United States in 2021.
Palou sat down last month with Strong Group Athletics (SGA), the firm headed by Lao, and admitted his “oversight” regarding Robins-Hardy’s eligibility status.
Palou raised the idea of letting other teams decide whether Robins-Hardy would be allowed to play, provided that SGA can secure a majority of the team owners or their representatives to sign a “Letter of No Objection.”
In less than two days after the meeting, Lao managed to draw the support of five squads – Zus Coffee, Galeries Tower, PLDT, Petro Gazz, and Chery Tiggo, and was on his way to secure the approval of two other teams – but Palou suddenly made a U-turn, saying Robins-Hardy needed to join the PVL draft.
“All we want is to be competitive – that’s all,” said Lao, who beefed up the Foxies with the recruitment of veteran spiker Rachel Anne Daquis and seasoned libero Jheck Dionela to give powerhouse teams a good fight.
Robins-Hardy, a cousin of PBA veteran Gabe Norwood, said:
“It’s really disappointing because I had to give up my job just to play and provide excitement to volleyball fans here in the Philippines. I hope the PVL will reconsider its position and allow me to play. Volleyball means so much to me and competing in front of Filipino fans is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life.”
