Two-hour match project could be tested in Peru

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, February 17, 2015 – The NORCECA proposal of a two-hour match volleyball, including time-outs and commercial breaks, was the main topic discussed during the confederation’s VIS and Statistics Commission held in Santo Domingo on Tuesday.

The five-set match, which would consists of 18-minute sets totaling 90 minutes of playing action, could be tested during the Girls’ Final Four U18 to be held in Peru next May.

The possibility to adjust the duration of a volleyball match to a maximum of two hours has been under discussion in FIVB and its confederations for the past twelve months and several proposals have been discussed.

“After consulting with several sources, including the VIS and Statistics Commission, our plan is to test the two-hour match in one invitational tournament,” NORCECA President, Cristobal Marte Hoffiz said at the end of the meeting. “I am going to propose the Peruvian Federation and its president Luis Linares, to test it next May at the U18 Girls’ Final Four event.”

Marte Hoffiz said he will inform FIVB Sports Events and Technical Commission about this decision.

The VIS and Stats Commission also received the reports from the delegates who covered the different competitions of 2014.

Judith Sandino, president of the commission, informed about the decisions and recommendations adopted by the FIVB Technical Commission during its meeting in early February in Lausanne, and presented the report made by Julien Boucher.

The president of the commission also made new proposals to evaluate the performances of the outside-hitters, middle-blockers and opposite players for the tournaments’ awards but it was decided to continue using the current system until a reliable data platform is ready to be considered by NORCECA Confederation.

Finally, Michel Coca of Cuba presented a projected plan for a Beach Volleyball Informatics System to be implemented within the confederation’s circuit.