Busy Start of the Volleyball and Beach Volleyball Season at the Fivb
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OFFICIAL BULLETIN No. 16 June 2007 Edition in English FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DE VOLLEYBALL Busy start of the Volleyball and Beach Volleyball season at the FIVB The month of May marked the open- boys and girls and special ing of the Volleyball and Beach Vol- reports on the November leyball season, just after the successful World Cups in Japan and the 2008 Olympic Games conclusion of two weeks of meet- in Beijing. ings at the FIVB, adopting important changes in its structure. The first two The growth and posi- weekends of action of the World tive development of the League, the FIVB premier men’s Vol- FIVB’s major competi- leyball tournament, concluded with tions was unanimously three teams still unbeaten: Brazil, noted. The Beach Volley- ball SWATCH FIVB World Bulgaria and Poland, whereas the Tour was a highlight of the SWATCH FIVB World Tour enjoyed a meeting this year with a successful start with its first six events. record 35 events and USD 8,750,000 in prize money. The Board of Administration meeting The FIVB’s premier annual international The World League’s suc- was held from 19th to 21st May men’s competition, the FIVB World League, cess in signing major new has played its second week-end. After that, TV networks for the 2007 three teams are still unbeaten: Brazil (Pool season and the improved image of its new after hearing the facts from the member A), Bulgaria and Poland (Pool B, where branding have been revealed, which is the considered at fault, may recommend or Poland is already qualified as the Final Six best proof of the dynamism displayed by not the application of a sanction which host country). U.S.A. leads Pool B, while the FIVB. Finally, facing the 2008 Olympic only the Executive Committee or the Board just a sets ratio gets Cuba at the first place Games in Beijing, the Olympic qualifica- will be authorised to apply. in Pool C, followed by Russia. tion for Beach Volleyball and Volleyball was given special attention particularly This month will see non-stop Volleyball Prior to the competitions, the 2007 ses- the detailed reports on the qualification action with the four remaining weekends sion of the highest governing bodies of the process, taking place from 1st January of the Intercontinental Round of the World FIVB, the Executive Committee and Board 2007 to 20th July 2008. League to take place, the Finals being held of Administration, composed of members in Katowice, Poland, from 11th to 15th July. from 35 countries was successfully held The Board also adopted a totally new As for Beach Volleyball, 3 double-gender in Lausanne with the reports on the 2007- approach concerning the infringement events will take place, including one Open 2008 competitions’ calendar starting with of Rules and violations to the Code of in Espinho, Portugal, two Grand Slams the Swatch FIVB Beach Volleyball World Conduct, upon the proposal of the FIVB in Paris, France, and Stavanger, Norway, Tour and World Championships, the Vol- President. Under this new concept the as well as one women’s Open in Warsaw, leyball World League, Women’s Grand Prix, President’s powers to suspend FIVB mem- Poland, and one men’s Open in Zagreb, Junior World Championships in Morocco bers for actions or attitudes contrary to Croatia. for men and Thailand for women, Youth the FIVB Regulations are delegated to an World Championships in Mexico for both independent Disciplinary Committee, who In this Issue The men’s Volleyball premier annual • 2007 World League: first two international tournament, weekends the World • New substitution system League, opened currently tested on 25th May Beach Volleyball • SWATCH FIVB World Tour National Federations • Algeria wins Men’s African Clubs Championship • Japan queens of the 6th Asian Youth Girls’ Championship Development • Volleyball at School Symposium www.fivb.org Volleyball VOLLEYBALL MEN Korean attacks and serves put Brazil in Huge live audience and TV coverage big trouble, solved only with the 17th point for the 2007 FIVB World League of the tie break. Pool B The FIVB’s premier against Finland in the opening match (3- The Blues lined up by Philippe Blain made annual interna- 1), but the second one hoisted the white an awkward first step (13-25) in Portland, tional men’s com- and blue flag over the John Labatt Centre, then brushing up the situation with a 5 petition is looking in London (Ontario). Thomas Sammelvuo set win against U.S.A. Guillaume Samica forward to its Final hit the Mikasa at his best and signed a tie was the main danger for U.S.A. and Pierre Six in Katowice (11- with Canada, two teams defined by their Pujol conducted the offensive system very 15 July 2007). The coaches as live “work in progress”. efficiently. But U.S.A. soon regained its first week-ends for The hardest homework was for the re- the four Pools showed the best teams newed team of Korea. A young squad spiking for the top positions. Three with the worst target ever for a beginning: teams are still unbeaten: Brazil (Pool the Olympic and World Champion Brazil. A), Bulgaria and Poland (Pool B, where Even Bernardinho Rezende was forced to Poland is already qualified as the Fi- change his team, due to some injuries or nal Six host country). U.S.A. leads Pool forced absences : his son was on the court, B, while just a sets ratio gets Cuba at too (‘Bruninho’, whose mother is former the first place in Pool C, followed by spiker Vera Mossa), but the experience of Russia. Murilo and Samuel Fuchs was enough to catch a match at the Yugwangsoon Gymn. WEEK 1 A second one showed many spectacular Pool A plays performed by captain Kyung-Soo Canada, after 7 years away from the Lee and Chul-Woo Park, getting Korea World League, experienced a great start very close to the first round surprise. The France’s Pierre Pujol jumps to set for Romain Vadeleux Berezhko (RUS) attacks against Bojovic and Bjelica (SRB) mental and physical power, to go for a split. Gabriel Gardner, moved from the left side to the outside hitting, marked 18 points and helped his team to go for the 3-1. Pool C Double challenge between Russia number 3 and Serbia 5 in the world ranking. Played in Moscow, the two matches showed what new Russia, with 37 year old setter Kham- uttskikh as the leader, dreams to set up to go to the finals. Serbia, for the first time without the Grbic brothers and with many new players in the twelve, did not have an easy debut. For the new Russian coach, Alekno, it was only big smiles for his first Week 1 - Results Week 2 - Results 3-0 and 3-1 victories. Date Teams Result Date Teams Result Egypt, without four of its best players, in- Pool A - Intercontinental Round Pool A - Intercontinental Round cluding setter Abdalla, could not resist the 25-May Canada - Finland 3-1 01-Jun Brazil - Finland 3-1 Brazil - Finland 3-0 strength of the Cubans, coached by Orlan- 26-May Canada - Finland 1-3 02-Jun 02-Jun Korea - Canada 3-1 do Samuels, back to the island after many 26-May Korea - Brazil 0-3 03-Jun Korea - Canada 3-0 years of coaching abroad. Moreover, the 27-May Korea - Brazil 2-3 Pool B - Intercontinental Round Egyptian had another problem during the Pool B - Intercontinental Round (ITA-JPN to play in week 7) 01-Jun U.S.A. - Japan 3-1 games. “It’s a shame that we lost starter 26-May U.S.A. - France 2-3 01-Jun Italy - France 3-2 Hossan Shaarawy, due to an injury. Any- 27-May U.S.A. - France 3-1 02-Jun U.S.A. - Japan 3-1 Pool C - Intercontinental Round 03-Jun Italy - France 0-3 way, our younger players did their best, 25-May Cuba - Egypt 3-1 Pool C - Intercontinental Round but failed due to their inexperience” said 26-May Russia - Serbia 3-0 01-Jun Serbia - Egypt 3-0 captain Hassan Ashraf Abouel after these 26-May Cuba - Egypt 3-0 01-Jun Cuba - Russia 2-3 3-1 and 3-0 losses. 27-May Russia - Serbia 3-1 02-Jun Serbia - Egypt 3-0 02-Jun Cuba - Russia 3-1 Pool D - Intercontinental Round Pool D Pool D - Intercontinental Round 25-May Poland - China 3-0 01-Jun Poland - Argentina 3-1 The first matches for Poland were sched- 26-May Bulgaria - Argentina 3-0 01-Jun Bulgaria - China 3-1 uled in Lodz, where the starting weekend 26-May Poland - China 3-2 03-Jun Bulgaria - China 3-0 of the World League found its best audi- 27-May Bulgaria - Argentina 3-0 03-Jun Poland - Argentina 3-0 ence, 19,200 spectators. Raul Lozano’s 2 FIVB World Volley News No.16 June 2007 World League 2007 team managed to succeed twice with Chi- A determined Cui (CHN) spikes na, even if the Saturday match was really against Winiarski (POL) tough, ending with a fifth set. The same experience that lacked for the line-up of Argentina, a country building a new team project; as coach Jon Uri- arte said before, “we need hard experi- ence like a World League, than we will be able to harvest”. Bulgaria, lead by Boyan Yordanov’s strong hitting, had just over two hours of playing to close the Varna event. Korea at the second place of the pool, just a great Friday start for Russia (2-3), and behind Brazil.