FIVB President reflects on the growth of Beach Volleyball

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, October 1, 2011 – The vertiginous growth of beach volleyball in recent years is due to three factors, according to FIVB President Jizhong Wei.

In a press conference held in Santo Domingo, Wei pointed out the three basic reasons for the popularity gained by beach volleyball: 1) the work done by the National Federations, 2) the investment made by FIVB and 3) the condition of the sport being both competitive and recreational.

“Beach Volleyball and Volleyball are two different disciplines and the players have different characteristics but both have one thing in common: the fans are the same in both sports,” he said.

“It is the task of our National Federations and the Continental Confederations to maintain the growth of both sports which can co-exist together under FIVB,” he added.

He also said his major achievement thus far as President of FIVB has been “correcting the mistakes of the past. And thanks to the National Federations, the Continental Confederations and my team of work, I have not made serious mistakes.”

During the one-hour meeting with the local media, Mr Wei made reference to the anti-doping educational program of the FIVB, the development plan of the institution and the financial assistance to the 220 affiliated National Federations throughout the Continental Confederations.

“We need to keep our sport clean and we have done that thanks to the effort of the players, coaches and the National Federations,” Wei stated. “Also, we follow strictly the code of the World Anti-Doping Agency to test our players in and out of the court.”

“We need to share our incomes with all the National Federations but we also need these National Federations to take more initiatives and not depend only from FIVB and the governments but also from their respective societies,” he said.

“The necessity of developing and expansion of our sport means that we did not do enough in the past,” he said. “We need to improve our capacity of marketing and get world sponsors.”

During the press conference Mr Wei was accompanied by Mr Cristobal Marte Hoffiz, FIVB 1^st Executive Vice President and president of NORCECA, FIVB 2^nd Executive Vice President Mr. Theofanis Tsiokris and FIVB Executive Vice President and Treasurer, Mr. Andre Meyer.

FIVB vice president and Board of Administration members Marta Centeno de Sajche, Douglas Beal and Mushtaque Mohammed attended the press conference as also several members of the NORCECA Executive Committee.