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Russian volleyball chief says he expected int’l ban extension on national volleyball teams

The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) announced in its statement on June 24 that it decided to extend indefinitely the suspension of national teams representing Russia and Belarus in international tournaments

MOSCOW, June 26. /TASS/. A recently extended suspension of Russia from the international volleyball tournaments was expected under current circumstances, Stanislav Shevchenko, the president of the All-Russia Volleyball Federation, told TASS on Monday.

The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) announced in its statement on June 24 that it decided to extend indefinitely the suspension of national teams representing Russia and Belarus in international tournaments.

"There was nothing unexpected about this decision. Is there a dialogue with the FIVB? We need to be heard under such circumstances," Shevchenko told TASS.

The InsideTheGames sports web portal reported late last week that FIVB’s ban on "Russian and Belarusian national teams, clubs, officials and beach volleyball and snow volleyball players in international and continental events would remain in place 'until further notice' and comes after a 'detailed review' by the organization’s Legal Commission."

The world’s governing body of volleyball also ruled to keep aside national teams of Russia and Belarus from world rankings, while they are not participating.

IOC’s ban on Russia’s international participation

On February 28, 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued recommendations to international sports federations to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from taking part in international tournaments, citing Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine as the reason.

Following the IOC’s recommendations in late February 2022, the majority of global sports federations decided to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from all international sports tournaments.

IOC’s recommendations were followed by the FIVB as well, as the global federation ruled on March 1, 2022 to bar Russia and Belarus from all international competitions. The federation also ruled to strip Russia of the right to host the previously scheduled 2022 Volleyball Men’s World Championship.

FIVB announced a decision on March 1, 2022 to relocate the previously scheduled 2022 Volleyball Men’s World Championship in Russia to co-host countries Poland and Slovenia, citing the developments in Ukraine as the reason.

On November 15, 2018, the FIVB Congress in Mexico’s Cancun voted that the Men’s Volleyball World Championship would be hosted by ten cities across Russia in 2022, namely Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Yaroslavl, Kazan, Ufa, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Kemerovo and Krasnoyarsk. The tournament was to be held between August 26 and September 11.

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