20/11/2020 09:30
CEV President discusses ambitious plans with Bulgaria’s Sports Minister
News from the CEV
Sofia, Bulgaria, November 20, 2020. CEV President Aleksandar Boričić travelled earlier this week to Bulgaria to have a series of high-profile meetings with national authorities and liaise with members of the local Volleyball family as Bulgaria prepares to co-host the 2021 edition of EuroVolley Women together with Serbia, Croatia and Romania. On Friday, the CEV President and FIVB 2nd Executive Vice-President had a productive meeting with Bulgaria’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Krasen Kralev, with Bulgarian Volleyball Federation President and newly elected CEV BoA member Lubomir Ganev in attendance as well.
The CEV President and Mr Kralev exchanged information on the measures taken by the respective organisations for the holding of sporting competitions in times of coronavirus pandemic. Minister Kralev stressed that a number of international events have taken place in Bulgaria since the outbreak of the global health crisis via the special admission of foreign athletes, coaches and officials involved in such competitions.
The CEV President is enjoying the opportunity of visiting Bulgaria to assess the country’s readiness to host next year’s EuroVolley. “I am sure that Bulgaria will be a wonderful host of the championship and it will prove itself again as a good organiser of events of the highest level,” he said.
Moreover, Bulgaria are planning to host the final stage of the CEV Volleyball European Golden League – Women in 2021 – an event cancelled earlier this year because of the pandemic.
The Minister of Sports and the CEV President discussed the possibility of Bulgaria coming forward as one of the co-hosts of CEV EuroVolley Men in 2023. A number of National Federations have already expressed their interest in hosting Europe’s premier Volleyball event for men’s national teams – whose Finals in 2021 will be taking place in Poland, Czech Republic, Estonia and Finland. Bulgaria previously hosted the men’s European Championship in 1950, 1981 and in 2015 (together with Italy).
The CEV President emphasised the important role played by the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation and their President Ganev in the CEV family. “Ganev has the prospect of being a leader not only in European but also in world volleyball for the next 20-30 years,” the CEV President commented. Moreover, the perspectives of Bulgarian Volleyball look very promising after Mr Boričić witnessed with his own eyes the performance of the U18 national team representing the Balkan country, which finished fourth at this year’s European Championship in Italy.
Finally, the CEV President and Mr Kralev discussed the idea of holding Balkan Volleyball championships for teenagers – a proposal that the CEV President is planning to discuss with other Sports Ministers and National Federations from the Balkan region as well.
Picture above: CEV President Aleksandar Boričić together with the Minister of Youth and Sports of Bulgaria, Mr Krasen Kralev (left), and Bulgarian Volleyball Federation President and CEV BoA member Lubomir Ganev (right)
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