Volleyball Leaders Target Olympic Tier-One Status

(ATR) Coming on the heels of the success of Rio 2016, the beach volleyball world championships in Vienna delivered, exceeding expectations, both on and off the court.

Ten thousand enthusiastic fans packing the Red Bull Beach Arena, urged on by innovative sport presentation and an adrenaline-inducing live DJ, made for a stellar 10-day event in the Austrian capital. Click here for a photo gallery from the championships.

The string of successive grade A, highly regarded tournaments could bode well for international volleyball federation (FIVB) officials, who seek to elevate their sport to tier-one Olympic status.

"We are in a golden era and this golden era is reflected by numbers," FIVB president Ary Graça told Around the Rings in Vienna, before Sunday’s Brazil vs. Austria gold medal match.

"We made a huge investment in the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro – before that in London, we did not think we would have such a success in beach volleyball, but we did.

"Then we went to Brazil, the land of volleyball and beach volleyball was started there," said the 74-year-old Brazilian sports leader.

Graça points out that according to an IOC viewer data report, volleyball attracted more Rio 2016 viewer hours worldwide than any other sport. Indoor volleyball received 2.22 million hours watched, while beach volleyball had 414,000 viewer hours. The 2.63 million total was tops among all summer sports.

"Numbers are numbers – it’s not a matter of politics – the public wants to see volleyball and it shows the importance that we have in the Olympic Movement," Graça said.

"I think it would be responsible to put us in group one with gymnastics, athletics and swimming," Graça said. "It’s a matter of justice."

Volleyball federation general director Fabio Azevedo also backs the ambitious goal, which would have to be signed off by the IOC.

"I think it’s just a matter of time and we’ll be there," Azevedo said about reaching tier-one status. "If it will not happen ahead of Tokyo, we’ll not give up."

Adding to the prestige, tier-one status means additional funding for the sport.

"For us, it’s important to generate more revenue, because we want to invest more in the sport, like to have more great events like here in Vienna," he said.

The cost invested by organizers into staging the 10-day championship was 10 million Euros, with one million in prize money. It was the first major international tournament ever contested in Vienna.

Numerous players said that the Vienna world championships were equal to, if not better than, the Rio 2016 Games. Fans appeared to enjoy themselves immensely as well.

"We’re trying to climb the stairs step-by-step, every world championship we do something different and better," Graça said. "Our theory is to offer the public a real, not only entertainment, but a fun participation."

Volleyball at Tokyo 2020

‘Next, we’re going to Tokyo – which is also the land of volleyball. Our biggest sponsors come from Japan," Graça said.

Graça and officials hope Tokyo is the right place to carry volleyball’s momentum, pointing out that the 1964 Tokyo Olympics marked the sport’s debut in the Games. While Japan has a history playing the indoor game, teams are non-existent in beach volleyball.

"We need to go and promote the event towards the people of Japan because obviously there is not a tradition for beach volleyball," said Angelo Squeo, FIVB events director.

Nevertheless, Squeo talks about putting on a great show at the Shiokaze Park venue, in the Tokyo Bay Zone.

"We’ll have good night matches, with perfect lighting and top class facilities for the players, media and the Olympic family," Squeo said.

Azevedo advised the FIVB is focused on three aspects which he believes will propel the sport to the next level – adding entertainment to sport, improving technology and insuring that volleyball is perceived as a family sport.

He said top markets that FIVB are focused on, from first to fifth, are the U.S., China, Germany, France and Great Britain.

"We want to inspire the whole world," Azevedo said.

Snow Volleyball Anyone?

The FIVB says its next great mission is to develop and promote snow volleyball with the hopes of establishing a world championship.

Rules, court dimensions and the number of players follow suit like beach volleyball, the only exception being that players compete on snow.

"It’s like beach volleyball was in the 80’s – it must be developed," Azevedo said.

"With technology, I hope it will not take so long and be recognized as a great product."

Adding snow volleyball to the fold may be the only way to prevent Brazil from winning more major volleyball titles.

Written by Brian Pinelliin Vienna

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