Inaugural Prague 2008 Open Proves Successful for Gibb & Rosenthal

Christoph Dieckmann (left) of Germany and Emanuel Rego (right) of Brazil join American gold medal winners Jake Gibb (second from left) and Sean Rosenthal in spraying champagne at the conclusion of the Prague 2008 Open medal ceremony Sunday PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC, May 11, 2008 - The Prague 2008 Open was a week full of Beach Volleyball revenge for Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal as the Americans won all six of their SWATCH FIVB World Tour matches highlighted by Sunday afternoon’s gold medal victory over Julius Brink and Christoph Dieckmann of Germany.  In completing their requirement of eight SWATCH FIVB World Tour to gain consideration for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the 13th-seeded Gibb and Rosenthal won their second international Beach Volleyball title together here Sunday at the US$175,000 Prague 2008 Open by scoring a 21-13 and 23-21 in 47 minutes over the 11th-seeded Brink and Dieckmann. More

FIVB hosts successful sports management seminar; President Acosta’s speech hailed by attendees

The FIVB President Dr. Rubén Acosta talks during the Sports Management Seminar on Saturday Lausanne, May 10, 2008 - The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball, the world’s governing body for Volleyball, hosted a well-received sports management seminar on Saturday. FIVB President Dr. Rubén Acosta led the speakers with an absorbing presentation on “The manager as official, leader, coordinator and communicator” that drew appreciative applause from the audience of more than 200 people at the Olympic Museum. More

Volleyball Family and friends come together in celebration of “Château Les Tourelles” during memorable Opening Ceremony of FIVB’s new headquarters

The Federal Councillor Mr. Samuel Schmid, the FIVB President Dr. Rubén Acosta and Dr. Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee Lausanne, May 9, 2008 – The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball and special guests from around the world joined together in celebrating the grandest of occasions on Friday evening in Lausanne with the Opening Ceremony of  “Château Les Tourelles,” heralding a new home and new beginning for Volleyball’s world governing body. “The FIVB is proud to receive you with open arms and with joy we extend you a warm welcome to our new premises,” FIVB President Dr. Rubén Acosta said to the assembled guests. “This place must be much more than an administrative centre: it must be a place with life and it must have a soul.” More | français | español

Olympic Volleyball and Beach Volleyball tickets sell out months ahead of Beijing 2008

Sold out at the Olympic Beach Volleyball tournament in Athens Lausanne, May 7, 2008 – Further underlining the continued success of Volleyball and Beach Volleyball as Olympic disciplines is the news that tickets for the tournaments at the Beijing Games have already been sold out. The Beijing Organizing Committee (BOCOG) has confirmed that internet sales for tickets have closed more than three months ahead of the August 8-24 Summer Games. BOCOG is keeping back a small percentage of tickets to sell on a daily basis at the Volleyball and Beach Volleyball venues during the Men’s and Women’s tournaments. More

A record number of more than 200 National Teams are already registered to play in the 2010 Volleyball World Championships

Fans and media pack out the 2006 FIVB World Championship Men's Final between Brazil and Poland Lausanne, May 6, 2008 – FIVB President Rubén Acosta's vision of the 2010 FIVB World Championships being the best ever is set to be realised after the record target of 200 registered National Teams was reached for the next edition of Volleyball's celebrated quadrennial tournament. "We established a goal of 200 National Teams participating in the 2010 FIVB Volleyball World Championships to beat the record we had of 176 teams in 2006," said Dr. Acosta on Tuesday. "I am really proud so many National Federations applied to be part of this grand competition that will herald a new decade in the history of the FIVB. Thanks to this large participation of teams the competitions will be the best ever, culminating with two fantastic Finals in Italy and Japan." More