Pakistan backs decision: Asian volleyball events postponed amid virus fears

ISLAMABAD: The Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) slashed the idea of hosting two back-to-back events, cancelling the 2020 Seniors Championship, and proposed extension in dates for Underage Tournament in consultation with member countries, declaring that all other events will now be contested in 2021.

In a letter written to the Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF), which is available with ‘The News’, the AVC has said that the confederation received the answer from most of the member federations that international travel remained severely restricted.

The AVC findings say that these restrictions are expected to remain until the end of 2020, so the participating federations will not be able to travel this year. Therefore, AVC Board of Administration has decided:

1. 2020 AVC Championships will be cancelled except the Underage Championships.

2. FIVB has fixed December 31, 2020, as the deadline to organise the Underage Continental Championships, which are qualification tournaments for 2021 FIVB Underage World Championships. AVC tried to organise the Asian Underage Championships within the deadline but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, AVC cannot organise the event. Therefore, AVC will have two options: 1. AVC will propose FIVB to extend the deadline for the organisation of Underage Championships from December 31, 2020, to February 28, 2021, because many federations informed AVC that their governments will allow them to participate in the international events from 2021. If this option is possible, AVC will confirm the host and participating federations by November 1, 2020.

2. If AVC cannot organise the Underage Championships by February 2021, then FIVB will use the previous ranking to select the qualified teams from Asia to participate in the 2021 Underage World Championships.

“Since we can’t train and travelling is also a bit risky, the PVF has no issue with the AVC’s ultimate decision to postpone all events in 2020,” said PVF chairman Chaudhry Mohammad Yaqoob. “It is tough to compete against the best Asian teams without preparation,” he added.

He said that Pakistan volleyball had grown in leaps and bounds at Asian level in recent times and as such the country had a reputation to salvage. “We are a top playing nation in Asia and as such need to get fully ready to take on the best teams. So we back AVC decision to postpone all events in 2020,” he said.