The Philippine Volleyball Federation and Beach Volleyball Association of the Philippines are pushing for the inclusion of beach volleyball teams in the squads to be sent by the Philippine Sports Commission to the Asian Games in Doha,Qatar in December.

PVF president Roger Banzuela said they are urging the PSC, headed by president Jose "Peping" Cojuangco, to include the beach volleyball teams in the squads that will banner the country in the quadrennial meet.

"We want the PSC to have our beach volley players join the Asian Games because they will be very competitive, especially if they will be given enough international exposure before the meet," Banzuela, who is also the BVAP president, said.

The PSC's preparation for the Asian Games is being hampered after First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo withdrew his support from the RP contingent, which means that beach volleyball, one of the less prioritized sports in the country, may not to be included in the Philippines' campaign in the quadrennial meet.

In case the country's sports agency agrees to send the spikers to the Games, the RP men's team will be a combination of a Filipino-American and a Filipino, while the women's squad will be bannered by Fil-Ams Diane Pascua and Heidi Ilustre, he said.

The Padscua-Ilustre tandem brought home bronze medals for the Philippines in the women's category of the 23rd Southeast Asian Games beach volleyball competitions at the University of St. La Salle sandcourts in Bacolod City last year.

The Fil-Ams are also offering a free three-month training for the Filipino beach volley bets in the United States, provided that the locals will shoulder their own transportation, food and tournament expenses, Banzuela said.*CIT

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