The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) is set to showcase a snow volleyball game at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics, February 9-25, in South Korea.
In collaboration with the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV), a ‘Snow Volleyball Night’ will take place on Feb. 14, Insidethegames.biz reported.
It will feature an exhibition match including some of the world’s greatest stars from both volleyball and beach volleyball.
Three-time Olympic medalist and three-time world champion Giba of Brazil will be among those taking part, along with two-time Olympic medalist Vladimir Grbić of Serbia.
Beach volleyball will be represented by China’s Xue Chen and Brazil’s Emanuel, a three-time Olympic medalist.
South Korea’s Kim Yeon-Koung, the most valuable player at the London 2012 Olympics, will be joined by volleyball players Stefanie Schwaiger and Nikolas Berger of Austria, who are both former European champions.
FIVB President Ary Graca claimed the event would also give the governing body an opportunity to explain their plans for snow volleyball in the future.
“It is a fantastic setting for us to showcase snow volleyball,” he said. “We are very excited about the prospect of this new sport which will provide an opportunity for a new demographic to enjoy volleyball.
The FIVB will reveal its plan for developing snow volleyball all over the world starting from the 2018 to 2019 winter season and onwards. We believe that volleyball is now accessible to everyone, from the summer to the winter, from the beach to the mountains. It is our mission to be the world’s number one family sport, and snow volleyball brings us closer to this goal.”
The exhibition match is due to be followed by a press conference, with a hospitality reception taking place afterwards.
The CEV already has a snow volleyball European tour, while 17 European countries are set to stage national championships.
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