Beach Volleyball Chiefs Want More Razzmatazz at 2012 Olympics

(ATR) Beach volleyball leaders tell Around the Rings they are examining ways to ramp up the sport's presentation at the 2012 Olympics following some lackluster elements during this week's test event in London.

Angelo Squeo, the International Volleyball Federation's beach volleyball events director, spoke to ATR at Horse Guards Parade where the sun illuminated 2,274 tons of specially quarried Redhill 28 sand dumped by 120 trucks in the first two days of the competition.

Squeo spoke of his "satisfaction" with the event but admitted he was keen to enhance some elements during the remainder of the competition which wraps up Sunday - and to add some razzmatazz to the beach volleyball event at the Games.

"The perception of how we implement the entertainment program and the announcement has to be more in the beach volleyball style - we want to create more vibe," he said.

"Announcers, presenters and dancers are a big army of people to put together in one day to get great results - but this will come."

Squeo said one advantage of being in the center of London were the entertainment possibilities the city offered that the sport could utilise. He added: "We need to set a beach mood which is different; we are downtown but in an artificial beach.

"So we want people to dance, to like the music, to enjoy the venue, to have an experience for the entire Olympics.

"Yesterday we had the feeling they were getting there but we want to go up another level."

The test event was somewhat affected by the riots that took place in London over the weekend, with LOCOG and the FIVB taking a joint decision to bring play forward on Tuesday, the first day, so that athletes and spectators could travel home safely before dark, in case of any trouble. Yesterday's schedule was back to normal.

Olympics minister Hugh Robertson had told ATR that this was not an "intelligence-led decision, but just a sensible and pragmatic option".

Squeo voiced his concern about the London rioting and described how the organizers had reacted to the unexpected violence in the capital.

"[Tuesday] our priority was safety but at the same time we thought ‘what can we do to continue the event with the outside elements going on?’We adapted the competition accordingly to the information given, so that we can do the same in the actual Olympics," he explained.

"You need a good chain of communication from base staff to media. In case of contingencies we need to improve our communication which is something we are discussing with LOCOG. Things are going on the right path."

But the riots could not take anything away from the awe many people had of the venue which Squeo described as "historically the best Olympic venue ever for beach volleyball".

LOCOG director of volleyball Bob Clarke was pleased with the test event, speaking of the uniqueness of the venue and that it would still be as impressive even if it rained.

"We spent a lot of time testing the right kind of sand in different conditions, and if it rains the water will just go straight through and not affect the playing surface" he told ATR.

Clarke hastened to add that the final of the beach volleyball at the 2008 Beijing Games was played in the pouring rain, yet that did not affect the standard of play.

Also complimenting the surface were the athletes. The USA’s Lisa Rutledge said the sand was "comparable to the sand we train on back home in California, on the beaches. It seems like they’ve done a really good job in creating a beach-like playing area."

Great Britain’s Lucy Boulton told ATR that the venue was "special" and even more so for having the home-crowd behind them for once. She added: "We hardly ever play on real beaches anymore – even when we play in Brazil it’s a venue like this, so there’s no huge difference."

After the 2012 Games, the sand will not go to waste, Squeo explained.

All of the sand will be used to create "outdoor beach volleyball courts in London and across the UK".

He said: "This is unique for beach volleyball... finally there is a sustainable program attached to the Games. In a country where there is no tradition for our sport, this is a very good plan."

For this week's test event, the venue is a tenth of the size it will be for the Olympics. The stands will hold 15,000 people next summer. Yet the atmosphere was still buzzing as the 1,500-strong British crowd embraced a relatively unknown sport to them with loud cheering and cardboard clappers, while loud music blared out of the speakers after each point.

But even more enthusiasm will be needed to make FIVB officials happy with the presentation of their event next summer.

Reported by Christian Radnedge