Philippine women’s volleyball team setter Jia Morado clarified that she begged off from the tryouts due to health and safety concerns and not because of “disinterest” in suiting up for flag and country again.

“I would have loved to take part in the tryouts scheduled by the PNVF this week in Subic. However, I personally decided to beg off from the tryouts out of an abundance of caution,” said Morado in a statement received by Rappler on Saturday, May 1.

“It is true that health and safety concerns, stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, made me hesitate to take part in the tryout.”

According to Morado, the invited athletes were asked to quarantine 14 days before the event, but the information was disseminated to them 11 days before the tryouts.

“This made me feel unsafe to go for myself and for members of my family who are high-risk and live with me at home,” added the Creamline star.

“I was also informed that we were going to travel to MOA and Subic, and then home again, which could possibly be infection points. What is usually done in sports training is to have a certain quarantine period before getting together.”

The Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) is on a strict “no tryout, no national team” rule, and was confident of forming a team without Philippine volleyball stars like Alyssa Valdez, Morado, and setter Kim Fajardo.

Even if only 16 out of the 40 invited women’s volleyball players turned up for the event, the PNVF didn’t consider “health and safety concerns” as a valid excuse from the tryouts.

The newly inaugurated federation only considered Kalei Mau’s stint in Puerto Rico and MJ Phillips’ situation of being in close contact with a COVID-19 positive staff members as among the valid reasons for not attending the three-day event.

“Immediately after receiving the invitation and tryout protocols, we expressed our questions and concerns regarding health and safety protocols through the Athletes’ Commission in order for them to be brought up to the federation, in the hope that our sentiments will be considered and addressed,” recalled Morado.

“I deeply respect my teammates who decided to still attend the tryouts, though they may also have the same worries about the pandemic. From my own point of view, however, and after careful discussion with family and doctors of high risk members within my circle, I opted not to take the same risk in the Subic bubble.”

Morado, 25, has served the national team since 2015 in the Asian Women’s Under-23 Volleyball Championship.

She understands PNVF’s urgency of forming the national team for the 2021 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Hanoi, Vietnam, but hopes it will understand the reasons of players who heavily considered the health and safety of their families.

“I’ve asked for understanding that my failure to attend the tryouts does not reflect any disinterest or lack of commitment to join the national team, and I believe it is the same for the others who could not attend as well. As I have willingly committed myself and served the team these past few years, I am willing to do so again should the opportunity present itself and the circumstances be better,” said Morado.

“I wish those who tried out for the women’s team the best of luck, and all the best for Philippine Volleyball.”

The tryouts for the national indoor and beach volleyball teams hosted by PNVF were staged in a bubble setup from Wednesday, April 28 to Friday, April 30. – Rappler.com