The Zus Coffee Thunderbelles. PVL Media Bureau/file
MANILA — Zus Coffee has replaced Kurashiki Ablaze in the 2025 PVL Invitational Conference.
This, as the Japanese squad withdrew from the six-squad tournament due to an internal issue involving their head coach, signaling a last-minute shake-up in the two-week contest.
Head coach Hideo Suzuki "allegedly committed a serious compliance violation," prompting the withdrawal.
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“We regret to inform you that we received a notice from the Japan Volleyball League indicating that our head coach, Hideo Suzuki, may have committed a serious compliance violation,” said Daisuke Watanabe, Representative Director of Ablaze Co. Ltd., in an official statement.
“In response to this notification, our team has decided to immediately commence an internal investigation and suspend all activities until the details of the incident are fully clarified,” he added.
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“It is with great regret that we must inform you of our decision to withdraw from participating in the PVL Invitational. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this sudden decision, made so close to the start of the tournament, may cause to all parties involved,” Watanabe said.
With this, the league has welcomed the fifth-placed team from the PVL on Tour to complete the tournament lineup.
Farm Fresh though is not ready for the tournament, according to team owner Frank Lao, so he opted to field the Thunderbelles instead.