Foreign guest players and Filipino-foreign athletes are now cleared to play for the rest of the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference, after their International Transfer Certificates (ITCs) were finally signed on Wednesday morning.
Foreign guest reinforcements and Filipino-American athletes are now cleared to play for the rest of the 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference, after their International Transfer Certificates (ITCs) were signed on Wednesday morning, the league announced.
The Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) finally signed off on the endorsements for the foreign guest players and Filipino-American athletes by 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, allowing teams to field their full rosters.
The development comes a day after four teams—Akari Chargers, ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles, Choco Mucho Flying Titans, and the Capital1 Solar Spikers—were all forced to play an All-Filipino lineup for the conference opener.
[ALSO READ: Where are imports in 2025 PVL Reinforced Conference opener? League explains document delay]
Choco Mucho was also without Fil-Am setter Tia Andaya due to the ITC issue, which would allow her to transfer from USA Volleyball to the Philippine federation.
The ITC is required by the FIVB to allow foreign athletes to play professional volleyball abroad.
ZUS Coffee won against Akari in five sets, while Choco Mucho swept Capital1 on opening day.
[ALSO READ: Miner, Eroa unfazed by import absence in ZUS Coffee's PVL Reinforced opening win vs Akari]
On Tuesday, league officials were seen monitoring the FIVB online portal for updates while discussing the situation with officials from the Akari Chargers and the ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles before their scheduled 4 p.m. opener.
The game eventually pushed through, but with foreign guest players Annie Mitchem and Anna DeBeer sitting on the bench.
PVL committee chairman Sherwin Malonzo confirmed that the league had already completed the necessary paperwork, with all player and federation signatures submitted.
However, the final endorsement from PNVF president Ramon “Tats” Suzara had yet to be granted by game time.
In a statement, Sports Vision, the PVL’s organizing body, expressed its regret over the delay and reiterated that it is following international volleyball procedures.
“The PVL regrets to inform the public that the foreign guest players will not be permitted to participate in the ongoing season-ending conference until their ITCs are duly approved,” the statement read.
The PNVF has not yet released an official explanation regarding the issue.
With the ITCs signed and activated, the imports for Thursday's games will be able to play: Jelena Cvijovic for Galeries Tower, Lindsey Vander Weide for Petro Gazz—along with Fil-foreign players Brooke Van Sickle and MJ Phillips, Helene Rousseaux for Farm Fresh, and Paola Martinez for Nxled.