PH volleyball officials file protest vs Indon player

Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas Inc. (LVPI) has filed a protest against the inclusion of Aprilia Santini Manganang in the Indonesian volleyball team that will compete in the 28th Southeast Asian Games in Singapore.

The 23-year-old Manganang is said to be a hermaphrodite.

LVPI president Jose Romasanta, who filed the protest against Manganang, is awaiting the result of tests done by the SEA Games Medical Commission.

Should Manganang fail a hormone test, she will be barred from playing. If she opts to play and a positive medical result is released later in the Games, Indonesia will forfeit its victories.

Indonesia is the Philippines’ first opponent in the volleyball competition of the SEA Games Wednesday at the Singapore National Stadium.

Head coach Roger Gorayeb, who will lead the women’s national team, said they know of the issue surrounding Manganang but they are unfazed.

“Napakalakas noon,” Gorayeb admitted. “Para kang naglagay ng lalaki sa laro ng mga babae.”

Gorayeb had coached against a Manganang-led Indonesia team in the Asian qualifiers for the world championships back in 2009.

“Pero kahit anong mangyari, nandiyan man siya o wala, lalaban pa din tayo. Paghahandaan natin ‘yan,” Gorayeb said.

The women’s game is set at noon while the men’s team faces off against Malaysia at 3 p.m.

The Philippine volleyball teams are composed of top collegiate and semi-professional players. Their modest target is a bronze medal, the same finish the national team achieved when the Philippines last participated in SEAG volleyball back in 2005.

“Sinasabi ko sa mga bata na ibigay na lahat ng makakaya nila, kasi matagal-tagal din tayong nawala sa SEA Games,” said Gorayeb.

“Hindi man natin makuha ang ginto, ang importante ay amakapagpakita tayo ng maganda sa ating pagbabalik. Malaking kasiyahan na yun para sa ating mga kababayan,” he added.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com