A new face was seen on the NCAA volleyball court last Sunday, as international referee Angkana Wongrot officiated the finals matches of the Season 101 volleyball tournament.
Wongrot was tapped by NCAA management committee member Fr. Vic Calvo, OP of tournament host Colegio de San Juan de Letran, as the league aims to ensure more objective officiating.
The Thai referee, recognized by the FIVB, previously officiated in Vietnam and Malaysia. She traveled to Manila for the first time upon the invitation of the NCAA and the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF).
“I want to say thank you for everything, for the people who organized. I am so happy I came here because I wanted to come here. I have so many friends and people I want to know,” she said in a TV interview.
PNVF president Tony Boy Liao, meanwhile, said the volleyball body sent the official invitation to their counterparts in Thailand.
“So I saw her in Thailand when I was there and I asked her if she's willing. It's her first time to come to the Philippines. So sabi ko, good. If it's her first time, come over,” Liao said in an interview with the media.
(So I saw her in Thailand when I was there and I asked her if she's willing. It's her first time to come to the Philippines. I said, good. If it's her first time, come over.)
Inviting foreign referees is not new in the NCAA and in local volleyball tournaments.
Back in December, the NCAA invited Abdulla Marzouk Alhejaili of Saudi Arabia to officiate several basketball games.
The Premier Volleyball League, meanwhile, also introduced foreign referees last year.
“In the PVL, we've been inviting from the semifinals to the finals. We always invite two international referees para at least maging fair ang tawagan. Kaya international, neutral talaga,” Liao added.
(In the PVL, we've been inviting from the semifinals to the finals. We always invite two international referees so the calls will be fair. We get international referees so that they will be neutral.)
While the Philippines already has international volleyball referees, the PNVF chief added that the country currently has three candidates undergoing courses to reach that level.
—JMB, GMA News
