The Philippines women’s national volleyball team’s bid for a podium finish in the Southeast Asian Games suffered a major blow after power-hitting Filipino-American Kalei Mau was ruled ineligible to see action in the competition.

In a shocking development, Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas Inc. (LVPI) president Joey Romasanta revealed Friday that the 6-foot-2 open spiker was scratched from the lineup after falling short of the required minimum two-year residency.

Mau, a University of Arizona standout in the US NCAA Division 1, came to the country late last year and played for Cocolife in the Philippine Superliga before transferring to F2 Logistics where she won the All-Filipino Conference Most Valuable Player award and led the Cargo Movers to the throne.

She was called up for the national team and made a big impact for the squad. Mau helped the Philippines finish third in the ASEAN Grand Prix first leg, as the Filipinas shocked a then-complete Vietnam squad, forced Indonesia to a five-setter, and stole a set from powerhouse Thailand, the same teams that will vie for medals in the SEA Games.

Mau sat out the second leg in Sta. Rosa, Laguna because of an Achilles’ heel injury but was able to join the team in its 12-day Japan training recently.

Although Mau has been campaigning in the country, she remains affiliated under the United States Volleyball Association (USVA). Based on the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and the Asian Volleyball Confederation, a player who wishes to represent her country in an international competition such as the SEA Games, Asian Games and the Olympics must be under her mother federation for at least two years.

The LVPI had no other choice but to cut Mau from the roster to abide by the Asian and world governing bodies’ rule.

“We don’t want to jeopardize whatever problem she may encounter along the way. She could get suspended if she plays without securing transfer papers from the federation,” said Romasanta. “I don’t know why she failed to submit the papers, but it really has to be her submitting it because she is a member. It's not the LVPI.”

The Philippines actually learned about this issue weeks back during its Japan training camp and tried to look for solutions in case Mau won’t get the greenlight to play.

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