Foreign players to feature at National Pro Volleyball League: Yaqoob

KARACHI: The country’s volleyball is set to receive a much-needed boost as Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) has almost finalised the things to go for the National Pro Volleyball League at the end of this year.

“Yes the things have been finalised and we plan to launch the first edition of the professional league in October-November this year,” PVF chairman Chaudhry Mohammad Yaqoob told ‘The News’ in an interview on Friday.

“There would be eight teams in the first edition and we plan to hold it in Lahore,” Yaqoob said.

He said that it would be a franchise-based showpiece which would also carry foreign players.

“Foreign players will be there,” Yaqoob said.

“We had been trying since long and eventually the things have been settled with a party,” said Yaqoob, also a former top police official.

Meanwhile Yaqoob said that the PVF plans to hold a four-month training camp of the senior national team for the 21st Asian Seniors Men’s Volleyball Championship which would be held in Japan from September 12-19.

“It’s a major event and we have decided to hold a camp for four months. It means in May we will have to begin this,” Yaqoob revealed.

Senior players have been staying at homes for the last one year due to restrictions on the sporting events because of Covid-19 and lack of state support for managing the camps.

However the PVF then set up a camp for the junior lot at POF Wah and despite cancellation of their continental event recently they are still training.

“The event has been cancelled but we thought they would learn so we decided to let them continue their training. It’s a good lot with solid height and is developing,” Yaqoob said.

There is an issue that Islamic Games, which Turkey is scheduled to host from September 10-19, 2021, clash with the Asian Senior Volleyball Championship in Japan. However Yaqoob said they can manage even sending equally well separate teams to both the events.

“I think there will be some reshuffle in dates of both the events. And if both events have a clash still we can manage as we have the stuff and we can send separate teams to both events,” Yaqoob said.

Yaqoob also plans to hire a foreign coach to prepare the senior team for Japan’s continental event.

“I have talked to a coach from Iran. He is engaged with Iran’s team preparing for the Tokyo Olympics as an assistant coach. He is ready to work with us and I am confident we will have him by that time. He has also worked with the world’s top coaches including Julio Velasco,” Yaqoob said.

Yaqoob said that PVF plans to hold the National Senior Championships in Lahore which will also help the selectors to invite top players for the national senior team’s camp. “We also are going to hold the National Women Championship in Karachi and an Under-23 National Championship for which we will have to decide about the venue,” Yaqoob signed off.