FIVB President meets Polish Volleyball Federation BOA

On Wednesday the Board of the Polish Volleyball Federation hosted the FIVB President Ary S. Graça in their headquarters.

The FIVB President's visit was related to the draw of lots for the 2017 FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship's and with preparations for this major event, which will be held in Opole and Łódź (the preliminary round) and Kraków (semi-finals and medal matches)

- I am very happy that the 2017 FIVB Men's Club World Championship will be organized in Poland. We still have fresh memories of the World Championship from three years ago, which was an absolutely extraordinary event and of the Opening Ceremony at the National Stadium, worthy of the Olympic opening ceremony from fifteen-twenty years ago - said Ary S. Graça, the FIVB President. - Our negotiations with Polsat are in the advanced stage and speaking of negotiations, I mean the development of volleyball, its advance on a global scale.

In his speech Ary S. Graça, gave a lot of attention to position of Polish Volleyball in ithe nternational volleyball family. - We need Poland and Polish Volleyball. When we talk about European volleyball we mean Poland, Italy, Russia. You have a strong league, powerful national teams, good training system, modern management and fantastic supporters. When I say Poland, I see young people - full of enthusiasm, ideas and creativity. Poland is an example for the whole world. The Polish Volleyball federation has been working hard for the success of the world volleyball, and the TV ratings of volleyball events at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio are a proof of it. The 2,5-billion people followed the Olympic tournament. It's more than football or swimming had there. This is our common success. Using volleyball terminology, we may say that Poland is and will be a setter in world volleyball - said the President.

Jacek Kasprzyk, the President of the Polish Volleyball Federation thanked Dr. Graça for his kind words and given praises, stressing that the fundamental task realised by Polish Volleyball Federation is to build a solid foundation for this discipline. - For six years we have run a program unique on European and world scale, with the support of the Ministry of Sport and Tourism, resulting in the stablishment of Volleyball School Centres. There are more than four hundred teachers in 144 schools, which train more than 5.5 thousand children and youth, based on stansardized materials. Year by year, the number of participants in the Kinder + Sport, mini-volleyball series - the biggest  event of this kind in Europe - has been increasing. Working with children and youth is our task, but it also gives us a lot of satisfaction and pride - said the President of the Polish Volleyball Federation.

After the meeting, the FIVB President and the President of Polish Volleyball Federation talked with media representatives and afterwards they paid a visit  to the Polish Minister of Sport and Tourism Witold Bańka, who had invited them to the ministry.