Akari and PLDT coaches Taka Minowa and Rald Ricafort during the PVL Reinforced Semifinals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — PLDT is set to file a protest over uncontroversial unsuccessful net fault challenge in its knockout semifinals loss to Akari in the PVL Reinforced Conference on Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena.
coach Rald Ricafort told Inquirer Sports that High Speed Hitters are filing a protest with the league after their semifinals loss that was marred by a controversial play where they challenged for a net fault on the Akari’s Ezra Madrigal that could’ve awarded the High Speed Hitters the winning point.
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The officials ruled against PLDT’s challenge, letting the Chargers force a deuce at 14-all and eventually complete a come-from-behind win for a breakthrough PVL Finals stint with a 25-22, 18-25, 22-25, 26-24, 17-15.
READ: PVL: Akari ousts PLDT in controversial finish to advance to final
The High Speed Hitters–from their coaching staff and their players–heavily contested the unsuccessful challenge. Fans on social media have also voiced their displeasure over the call.
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“Definitely, we’ll file a protest. If nothing happens, we’ll see what other steps we can take. Everyone saw what happened, both in the arena and those watching online or on TV. We won’t explain our side here; we just hope our protest is noticed,” Ricafort told Inquirer.
Majoy Baron and the PLDT High Speed Hitters bench. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Although the PVL’s rule states that a protest must be filed within one hour after the game, league commissioner Sherwin Malonzo confirmed that they will accept and review PLDT’s protest.
“Our manual states that within one hour, you must file the protest. But of course, we will still accept their protest and then act on it,” said Malonzo.
READ: PVL explains no net fault in controversial Akari-PLDT endgame
“We’ll see. We have to wait and see what their argument will be, and from there, we’ll respond. But we still need to review the situation because the basis is what happened. We just followed all the rules, the net fault rules, and the challenge rules,” he added.
Malonzo spoke to the reporters after the game, saying that based on the FIVB rule book Madrigal had not committed a net fault with both her feet already on the floor and that the contact with the net was a second motion away from ball play.
“There was no fault because her position was already established, with both feet in place before she turned. At the same time, PLDT called for a mid-rally challenge. The consequence of doing a mid-rally challenge is that if it’s denied or unsuccessful, the point goes to the opponent,” he said.
“If it had been successful, the point would have been theirs, but based on the interpretation of our referees and the FIVB casebook, which we followed, since it was away from the play, it’s not considered a net fault.”
Malonzo also clarified that the challenge wasn’t shown on the screen and broadcast to avoid confusion but both teams saw the challenge clip.
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PLDT will face sister team Cignal for the bronze medal on Monday at 4 p.m. at Smart Araneta Coliseum.