Beach Volleyball Growth Top Agenda at Technical and Referee Delegate Seminar

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, February 2, 2018 – Beach volleyball officials reviewed the latest developments within the sport and aligned plans to make sure the sport continues to attract a wide audience at the FIVB Beach Volleyball Technical Delegate and Referee Delegate Seminar yesterday.

The day began with an outline of the FIVB’s internal leadership structure and responsibilities, including the Beach Volleyball Events Department and the New Events Business Department, which was set up in 2017. Delegates also spoke about the merits of the FIVB’s new beach volleyball ranking structure, which grades events from 1-5 stars and has been integral to the growth of the sport.

In the 2016/17 FIVB World Tour, 19 events made up the tour calendar, whereas this season the FIVB has already secured 43 stops, reaching several new countries for the first time. In addition, many 3-star events from last season have upgraded to 4-star for the 2017/18 season.

Officials were updated on the changes to beach volleyball regulations, including the World Tour competition format and the breakdown of World Ranking points. The seminar also offered tools for event organisers, including checklists, branding guides and master plans.  The seminar also discussed how to help promoters to improve their events. Points covered included venue design, VIP tribunes, facilities for the athletes and referees, press etc. The technical delegates and referee delegates were split into two groups to study areas specific to each role. The technical delegates reviewed the interpretation of ranking points calculation, competition format and match schedule assignment, Collaborate platform and the Volleyball Information System (VIS). The referee delegates focused on Video Challenge System, online referees education programme and changes to the Rules of the Game and Refereeing Regulations.

FIVB President Dr. Ary S. Graça F° said:

“This is a fantastic opportunity to focus our attentions on beach volleyball and explore new ways to grow the sport. We have already seen great progress and I hope, that through the dedication and professionalism of all delegates, we will see beach volleyball’s popularity to continue to rise all over the world.”

There were also presentations on the role of technology and digital innovation in beach volleyball, as well as plans for the build up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, which represents a landmark occasion for the FIVB. Tokyo 1964 was the first Olympic Games where volleyball was included on the sports programme, and with volleyball having been the most watched sport at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, 2020 is sure to be a another great celebration for the FIVB.