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No 124 March 2004 English edition FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DE VOLLEYBALL Nike partners with FIVB bringing new excitement to the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour Nike, the world’s leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories, partnered with the FIVB to be the exclusive competitive apparel supplier for the 2004 Swatch-FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour, the FIVB announced in February. Both parties came together at the 2003 Dain Blanton (USA) in a Nike shirt at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where he took home Austrian Grand Slam event in Klagen- the gold medal with partner, Eric Fonoimoana furt, and, along with taking in some excit- ing Beach Volleyball action, delegates from the two organizations enjoyed some Swatch-FIVB World Tour higher than new uniforms to be worn by Beach Vol- highly productive discussions. ever.” leyball athletes. Indeed, so-much-so that the FIVB and “We are excited to partner with the “The FIVB has always given great atten- Nike eventually agreed on a partnership, Swatch-FIVB World Tour,” Nike Director tion to the uniforms of athletes and offi- which includes the sports manufacturer of Olympic Sports Marketing Eddie cials, which play a significant part in the providing highly innovative competition Brown said. “This allows us to bring our Beach Volleyball image,” Mr. Squeo said. apparel for players (tank tops), referees, years of apparel innovation to even more “Therefore with Nike’s innovative ideas FIVB delegates, volunteers and staff on Beach Volleyball athletes. In addition, we we look forward to further developing the Swatch-FIVB World Tour. look forward to gaining further insights such a project in order to portray the most into their elite performance needs important values of our sport.” "This new relationship with Nike is through our never-ending quest to build indicative of the tremendous success the world’s greatest athletic product.” The 2004 Swatch - FIVB World Tour of Beach Volleyball," FIVB President began its landmark season on March 9 in Dr. Rubén Acosta said. "Nike is According to Angelo Squeo, the FIVB’s Brazil and by the season’s end it will have renowned for its expertise in sports- Beach Volleyball Coordinator, the part- included 27 tournaments (15 men and 12 wear manufacturing and this will lift nership represents exciting times ahead: women), of which 18 are included in the the status of the Swatch-FIVB World “Nike has recognized the huge potential Olympic qualifying process and offered Tour higher than ever". of Beach Volleyball and that makes us all US$5,480,000 in Prize Money and Bonus very proud.” Mr. Squeo continued; “The Pool. Among the highlights contained in mission is to create a trend, and, with the this year’s Swatch - FIVB World Tour is The new line of competition apparel will professional look of the athletes’ uni- what promises to be an exciting three-leg also be used at the 2004 Summer Olympic forms we believe that we can attract Grand-Slam which will take in the cities Games, due to be held in Athens between many new fans to the sport.” of Berlin, Marseille and Klagenfurt. And, August 14- 29, by some of the world’s of course, the final assignment of 24 best Beach Volleyball teams as well as “I believe that we here at the FIVB are cre- men’s and 24 women’s vacancies for the officials. ating a pool of strong sponsors who are forthcoming Summer Olympic Games all working together with us in an excit- will be decided. “This new relationship with Nike is ing environment. It is an excellent way indicative of the tremendous success of for Beach Volleyball to grow.” www.fivb.org/ Beach Volleyball,” FIVB President Dr. Rubén Acosta said. “Nike is renowned Mr. Squeo went on to say that both Nike For more news and updates visit for its expertise in sportswear manufac- and the FIVB would essentially be work- our website at: www.fivb.org turing and this will lift the status of the ing as a team in terms of the design of the Find out more at www.fivb.org VOLLEYBALL France name squad for Tokyo DRAWING OF LOTS COMPLETED FOR MEN’S WORLD The President of the French Volleyball OLYMPIC QUALIFICATION TOURNAMENTS Federation Jacques Shaw, on the proposi- tion of the national coach Philippe Blain The Drawing of Lots for the three Men’s Venezuela and Poland join Portugal, and and national Technical Director Michel World Olympic Qualifying Tournaments Spain host Cameroon, Cuba and the Cogne, announced France’s 18-strong to be held in Japan, Portugal and Spain in Netherlands. The winners of each tour- squad for the Men’s World Olympic May was completed in Tokyo in February nament will claim an Olympic ticket to Qualification Tournament to be held in under the supervision of FIVB Executive Athens. Tokyo from May 22-30. Vice-President Dr. Saleh A. Bin Nasser from Saudi Arabia and FIVB Executive The four tickets on offer across the three France will play Japan, Algeria, Canada, Member Professor Hiroshi Toyoda from tournaments will complete the men’s Korea, China, Australia and Iran with the Japan. Volleyball Olympic Games qualification winner and the best Asian team claiming process with a total of 12 teams. tickets to Athens 2004. The 18-man squad The World Olympic Qualifying tourna- will be trimmed to 12 prior to the tourna- ment in Japan from May 22-30, which The eight men’s teams already qualified ment. also doubles as the Asian Continental for the 2004 Athens Olympics are Greece, Olympic Qualifying tournament, will see Brazil, Italy, Serbia and Montenegro, Rus- France: Yohan Cohen, Hubert Henno, the hosts entertain Algeria, Canada, sia, USA, Argentina andTunisia. Dominique Daquin, Andy Ces, Frédéric France, Korea, China, Australia and Iran Gibert, Jean Charles Monneraye, with one Olympic ticket going to the win- Meanwhile, the final four teams to com- Stéphane Antiga, Laurent Capet, Frantz ner and then a second Olympic ticket plete the women’s Volleyball Olympic Granvorka, Vincent Montmeat, Loïc De being awarded to the top Asian team. In Games qualification process will be Kergret, Loic Lemarrec, Marc Schalk, the event an Asian team wins the tourna- found at a World Olympic Qualification Philippe Barca-Cysique, Guillaume Sam- ment, the next best-Asian team will claim tournament in Japan from May 8-16, ica, Mathias Patin, Oliver Kieffer, the second ticket as the Continental which also doubles as the Asian Conti- Sébastien Frangolacci. Olympic qualifier. nental Olympic Qualification tourna- ment, with the hosts playing off with The World Olympic Qualifying tourna- Korea, Thailand, Chinese Taipei, Italy, Portugal coach says ments in Portugal, from May 21-23, and Russia, Puerto Rico and Nigeria for the group is “difficult but beatable” Spain, from May 28-30, sees Kazakhstan, final four tickets. Following the Drawing of Lots ceremony Men’s teams competing at the Olympic Qualification Tournaments held in Tokyo, Japan in February for the three Men’s World Olympic Qualifica- Portugal (May 21-23): tion tournaments (to be held in Portugal, Portugal, Kazakhstan, Venezuela, Poland Spain and Tokyo), head coach of the Por- tuguese side Juan Diaz says his team has Japan (May 22-30): a difficult yet beatable group, which Japan, Algeria, Canada, France, Korea, China, Australia, Iran includes favourites Poland, Venezuela and Kazakhstan, ahead of them to claim Spain (May 28-30): Olympic Games qualification when they Spain, Cameroon, Cuba, the Netherlands. face off in Porto from May 21-23. “It is a difficult group, but at the same Women’s teams competing at the Olympic Qualification Tournaments time beatable,” he said. “We know Poland well and the Venezuelan team, Japan (May 8-16): while although we do not know Kaza- Japan, Korea, Thailand, Chinese Taipei, Italy, Russia, Puerto Rico, Nigeria khstan’s Volleyball, the fact that it is an old Russian republic implies that, by tra- dition, they have great Volleyball skills.” Women’s Teams already Qualified for Men’s Teams already Qualified for the 2004 Olympics in Athens the 2004 Olympics in Athens “It’s important that we are playing Poland because, theoretically, they are Greece (Host) Greece (Host) more beatable than France or the Nether- lands (who were the other two European China Brazil sides drawn to play in Tokyo and Madrid respectively).” Brazil Italy Venezuela, ranked 11th on the FIVB USA Serbia & Montenegro World Rankings (nine places better than Portugal and two places behind Poland), Dominican Republic Russia pose as one of the biggest threats to Por- tugal’s hopes. (continued on page 2) Germany USA www.fivb.org/ Kenya Argentina For more information on other Cuba Tunisia teams go to: www.fivb.org 2 FIVB X-Press No 124 March 2004 VOLLEYBALL Top honours for Chinese OTHER VOLLEYBALL NEWS women’s head coach The head coach of the Chinese Women’s Volleyball team Chen Zhonghe was (continued from page 2) China aim for gold selected as one of China’s 10 Inspirational Persons of the Year in 2003 in an annual It will be the third consecutive time that Women’s Volleyball World Cup champi- campaign organized by China Central Portugal disputes an Olympic Qualify- ons China are setting their sights on fur- Television in February to select people ing Pool with Venezuela. In the two meet- ther success at the forthcoming Olympic who have inspired the country and ings to date, both sides have won one Games in Athens this summer. The ath- moved its people during the year. match with Portugal beating Venezuela letes arrived in Zhangzhou, in Southeast- in 1996 (3-1) and Venezuela beating Por- ern China earlier this month for an inten- tugal in 2000 (3-2).