Sports Events Council Enthusiastic About New Era of Volleyball

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, January 30, 2018 - FIVB President Dr. Ary S. Graça F° chaired the two-day Sports Events Council meeting and talked to members about the exciting developments in volleyball.

The FIVB President was joined by the Presidents of the Continental Confederations, President and Secretary of the Council as well as its members and athletes’ representatives to discuss the new era of volleyball. The delegation spoke at length about the launch of the Volleyball Nations League, an initiative that is set to revolutionise the sport.

At the meeting, President Graça said:

“Let me remind you all that the Volleyball Nations League will be the same event, same format, same prize money, number of teams for men and women. Gender balance in our sport is crucial for the FIVB. Together with our partner, IMG, we will control TV production and distribution, to ensure the consistency of our images and provide a first class experience for our fans all over the world.

“Those teams that do not participate at the Volleyball Nations League will have a chance to participate in the Volleyball Challenger Cup, and earn the right to be promoted to the Volleyball Nations League. This way we are providing more opportunities for national teams to participate in our events!”

The Sports Events Council also talked about the upcoming 2018 FIVB Volleyball World Championships, which will be hosted by Italy and Bulgaria (men’s edition), and Japan (women’s edition). Preparations are underway and both events are set to be great milestones for volleyball.

President Graça also discussed the success of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, where volleyball (indoor and beach combined) was the number one sport based on the number of viewer hours according to official IOC data. The FIVB is now working hard to ensure the true celebration of the sport’s return to its Olympic birthplace, at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Ariake Arena was confirmed as a host venue for indoor volleyball at the end of 2016, following a number of meetings between the FIVB leadership with the IOC and Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

                                                                                                                  
Among other topics discussed during the meeting were the FIVB Volleyball Club World Championships 2018 as well as the FIVB commitments to the digital transformation, establishing of an optimised, global volleyball calendar and review of the World Rankings System.