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NORCECA Age-group Continental Championships will not be held
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, November 30, 2020. - The
Sport Organizing Commission held a virtual meeting to discuss
the 2021 competition calendar and agreed to cancel the NORCECA
age-group Continental Championships scheduled in January and
February, pending on the Board of Administration approval.
The meeting was requested by the Mexican National Volleyball
Federation President, Jesús Perales Navarro during the XXV
NORCECA Congress, concerning the NORCECA 2021 Competition
Calendar.
The meeting was chaired by NORCECA President Cristóbal Marte
Hoffiz who in his opening words stated his optimism of a safe
return to competing sometime next year “as leader of the NORCECA
Confederation I maintain hopeful that volleyball will return but
with the current situation originated by the Global Pandemic
COVID-19, I am realistic that decisions must be taken in order
to continue its proper functioning in our region”.
The commission members overviewed several possibilities
presented by the commission President and NORCECA First
Vice-President Ariel Sainz, in order to take the proper
decisions to carry out the first four events scheduled in
January and February, which qualify for the U18, U19, U20 and
U21 FIVB World Championships.
Looking ahead, as February 28th is the FIVB deadline
for the qualification process; it is unlikely to ensure health
and safety protocols for competition, reaching to the conclusion
of canceling the events in discussion and determining the
qualifying countries by the 2019 NORCECA ranking allowed by the
FIVB regulations.
Sainz indicated “taking in consideration our current situation
we must contribute with our National Federations training
programs knowing they are qualified for these international
highly competitive events and not jeopardize our athlete’s
wellbeing”.
The qualified national teams have until January 31st
to confirm their participation in the corresponding FIVB
Age-group World Championships; the next team in the NORCECA
Continental ranking will be eligible to participate for those
who do not confirm.
Qualified for the Girls’ U18 category are United States, Canada,
Puerto Rico and Cuba, as well as Mexico as hosting country.
In the Boys’ U19 category, the qualified teams are Cuba, United
States, Puerto Rico and Guatemala.
Dominican Republic and Cuba are qualified in U20, with four more
vacancies provided by the FIVB to be determine thru the FIVB U20
World Ranking for those national teams not qualified through
their continental qualification process or continental ranking,
while Cuba and Canada take the spots in the U21 category, with
five vacancies to be determine thru the
FIVB U21 World Ranking for those national teams not qualified
through their continental qualification process or continental
ranking.
In addition, it was decided to meet again on January 18th,
having a 90 day window to analyze the U23 Pan American Junior
Games Qualification Tournaments to the I Junior Pan-American
Games of Cali, Colombia, scheduled to be held in September 2021,
as well as the discussion of the NORCECA safety measures and
health protocols to be included in all competition regulations.
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