SPORTS Vision, which organizes the Premier Volleyball League, on Tuesday branded Philippine Superliga’s suspension of Grethcel Soltones as ridiculous, stressing that the PVL top player is not in any way under contract with the PSL and is only on loan to Iriga City team.
“The suspension and hefty fine on (Gretchel) Soltones by the PSL officials is absurd and totally uncalled for,” Sports Vision president Ricky Palou said in a statement. “In the first place, Soltones has no contract with the PSL. She is only on loan to the team of Iriga as her mother league is the PVL.”
Palou also pointed out that the PVL All Star Game is one-day charity event held for the benefit of HERO Foundation, a foundation established to raise scholarship funds for children of soldiers who gave up their lives in the line of duty.
“I don’t see anything wrong with what Gretchel did. In fact she should be commended for helping in this fund raising event by her participation,” said Palou.
He added that the All-Star event is an annual undertaking staged to benefit a charitable institution or victims of calamities. The PVL All Star has been scheduled at the start of the 2017 PVL Season even before Soltones has been borrowed by Iriga to play for them.
Citing its one-league policy, the PSL on Monday suspended the former San Sebastian star and many-time NCAA MVP for one year and fined her P50,000 for suiting up in the PVL fund-raiser.
Meanwhile, PSL team owners, in an emergency meeting at 11 a.m. Monday, unanimously voted to deny the appeal by Team Iriga for reconsideration of Soltones’ one-year ban and penalties for playing in an unsanctioned match outside of the PSL.
The vote was 7-0, upholding the league’s decision to ban and fine Soltones, who should have been under contract with Team Iriga for one year.
Team Iriga, however, does not have a contract yet with Soltones, to the dismay of league officials, who have imposed a rule on all teams to sign their players to a minimum of one-year contract on a one-league policy, meaning players could not play outside of the PSL while they are under contract with their respective teams.
Team Iriga could not vote during the deliberation.
Guest team Victoria Sports-University of Santo Tomas also could not vote.
Soltones will be required to pay the fine under league rules.