The Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) will move the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) 21st Asian Senior Women's Volleyball Championship to May 2022 due to the surge of Covid-19 cases in the country.
The tournament, which functions as a qualifier for the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship, was initially slated for August 29 to September 5 in Pampanga. However, it had to be placed on the backburner with the government facing an uphill battle against the dreaded virus.
AVC President Rita Subowo said in the confederation’s letter to PNVF President Ramon "Tats" Suzara that the competition could be held from May 15 to 22, 2022.
The AVC Board of Administration, after meeting on Tuesday, requested the FIVB to organize the Asian championship in May “in order for the women's teams to obtain FIVB World Ranking points from the 2021 continental tournament like other confederations.”
"It will be good for the organizer to have the leading teams of Asia to participate in this championship," Subowo shared.
The FIVB proposed to use continental ranking to pick the two eligible teams for the World Championship, with China and Japan earning the slots as the top two in Asia. The remaining qualified teams will then be chosen based on their world ranking,
The Philippine Sports Commission, meanwhile, gave the thumbs up on the PNVF's proposed national team for volleyball and beach volleyball.
In a special virtual board meeting held last August 17, the PSC granted PNVF's quota of 20 athletes for each of the men and women volleyball teams and eight players for each of the men and women beach volleyball squads.
The national team—supported by the PSC and Rebisco—includes four coaches each for the men and women volleyball teams and two coaches apiece for the men and women beach volleyball squads. (JNP)