Maceió, Brazil, February 26, 2016 - With Brazil hosting the Rio 2016 Summer Games this August, it is only fitting that the FIVB World Tour has joined forces with the Brazilian Volleyball Federation to stage four events in the South American country where Beach Volleyball is the No. 1 family-friendly sport.
With Brazil already naming its men’s and women’s teams for the Olympic competition this coming August on the world-famous Copacabana Beach, the country is hosting four FIVB World Tour events this season starting with this week’s US$150,000 Maceió Open where the players from the South American nation are dominating the action as usual.
To further promote Beach Volleyball and the Rio 2016 Olympics, the Brazilian Volleyball federation (Confederação Brasileira de Voleibol, CBV) has taken an active role in organizing four more FIVB World Tour events prior to the August Olympic Games.
Following the Maceió Open, the FIVB World Tour will stage its first “major” event on the 2015-2016 international calendar with the $800,000 Rio Grand Slam March 8-13 at the same site on Copacabana Beach where the Rio 2016 Olympic Games will be played. The following week (March 15-20) in Vitoria, the CBV will host a $150,000 event “open”.
After FIVB Beach Volleyball events in Qatar (Doha) and China (Xiamen and Fuzhou), the international circuit returns to Brazil for the $150,000 Fortaleza Open (April 26-May 1).
“It is a busy and exciting time for us,” said Fulvio Danilas, the Beach Volleyball Director for the CBV. “Our goal is continue to promote this family-friendly sport throughout the country. Our domestic tour has done a great job of showcasing the sport and we are adding frosting to the cake by staging four FIVB events this season to expand Beach Volleyball’s popularity.”
Not since 1996 has Brazil hosted as many FIVB World Tour events. The South American nation is the only country to host an event every year as the 2015-2016 campaign marks the 30th season of internationally-sanctioned events by the FIVB. The Maceió Open is the 38th men’s and 33rd women’s FIVB World Tour event to be played in Brazil.
In addition, the CBV has established a standard in promoting Beach Volleyball prior to hosting the Olympics Games. No other nation that has hosted an Olympics has staged as many FIVB World Tour events prior to the Summer Games in their country.
Prior to the Atlanta 1996 Olympics, the United States hosted a FIVB World Tour event in southern California at Hermosa Beach. Greece held a world tour stop in mid-May prior to Athens 2004 and China staged a FIVB stop in Shanghai at the start of May prior to the Beijing 2008 Olympics Games.
There were no FIVB World Tour events in Australia and Great Britain prior to the Sydney 2000 and London 2012. However, the FIVB did help organize a challenger event the September before London at the Olympic site in Horse Guards Parade.
“There are two important factors for having the four events (Maceió, Rio, Vitoria and Fortaleza),” said Danilas. “First, we are giving our younger players, our future stars, a chance to experience competition against foreign teams,” Danilas noted. “This will give them the opportunity to gain confidence in playing against teams that they do not see at domestic tour. This is our opportunity to build for the future.”
“Secondly, next week will be extremely entertaining on Copacabana where a family can spend a day at the beach watching the world’s best Beach Volleyball players training for the Rio Grand Slam,” said Danilas. “I don’t think there is another sport where fans and family can approach an athlete before or after a training session in such a causal setting.
“The CBV is committed to bring the best of Beach Volleyball to the people of Brazil and to give our younger players a chance to experience competition against players from around the world,” Danilas added. The FIVB World Tour events are family-friendly activities where mom, dad and the kids can get up close and personal with the players. No other sport is as fan- and family-friendly.”