Published May 19, 2025 6:53pm
Updated May 19, 2025 6:53pm
Colegio de San Juan de Letran head coach Oliver Almadro hopes referees will be more decisive, especially as the NCAA volleyball tournament nears its homestretch.
Almadro last Friday temporarily exited the match late in Set 4 after getting his second warning from the referees.
Arellano was leading 24-22 before Vanessa Sarie’s attack seemingly went outside. However, the point was given to Letran as referees reconvened after the said play.
After a timeout called by Arellano, Almadro was seen still tense. This time, the referees awarded the red card to Almadro and he was sent off the playing court. The first referee said Almadro was expelled after he was given the red card.
“I was reprimanded by the referee to be on the sidelines first. What I’m telling the referee is you have to be consistent,” Almadro told GMA News Online about the incident.
“Kahit mga manonood sa TV, makikita na they are waiting for the challenge na lang. Malaking bagay ‘yung challenge but sometimes, they have to decide. That’s deciding the games eh pag hindi decisive ang referee.”
[Even those watching from the TV, they can see they are just waiting for the challenge. The challenge is a big thing but sometimes, they have to decide. That’s the deciding the games, when the referee is not decisive.]
Almadro clarified he is not against the referee’s decisions relating to him, but he just wanted for the officials to make the proper calls, especially with the matches becoming more crucial nearing the end of the elimination round.
“I’m not saying na mali si referee, I’m saying they have to be decisive. Hindi pupuwedeng walang decision and waiting for the coaches to challenge,” said Almadro. “Nawawala tuloy ‘yung diskarte ng teams because hindi nagde-decide ang referee.”
“They have to understand also that NCAA is a competitive league already, mataas na ang level. Hindi na puwede ang letup, hindi na puwede ang lapses sa dulohan.”
[I’m not saying the referee is wrong, I’m saying they have to be decisive. It can’t be that there’s no decision and they’re waiting for the coaches to challenge. The teams ability to strategize because the referee can’t decide… They have to understand also that NCAA is a competitive league already, it’s high level. There can’t be any letup, any lapses in the endgame.]
According to FIVB rules, “An expelled coach loses his/her right to intervene in the set and must go to the team’s dressing room until the completion of the ongoing set.”
He was eventually brought back in the fifth set as Letran claimed the victory against Arellano.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News