Press Releases FIVB President in Rome for historic Women's Referees Seminar Rome, Italy, March 12, 2010. The very first international seminar specifically addressed to female referees promoted by CEV in cooperation with the Italian Volleyball Federation was officially opened on Friday in the presence of honorary guest FIVB President Mr. Jizhong Wei who joined 50 participants representing a total of 25 countries at the Olympic training centre “Giulio Onesti” located in the suburbs of the Italian capital, Rome.   More Bawden and Palmer kick off season with Australian Beach Volleyball Championships Sydney, Australia, March 12, 2010 – Australian SWATCH FIVB World Tour 2009 Mazury Open runners-up Louise Bawden and Becchara Palmer have been preparing for the upcoming season by playing in the Lifestyle Asset Management Australian Beach Volleyball Championships alongside fellow tour player Alice Rohkamper who is teaming up with Beijing 2008 Olympian Tamsin Barnett following her return after giving birth to a son last September.  More Lee on right course for FIVB World League Moscow, Russia, March 12, 2010 – USA’s FIVB World League 2008 and 2008 Beijing Olympics champion David Lee has been showing that he is still at the top of his game in the Russian Super League, scoring 10 points for Lokomotiv Novosibirsk as they beat Fakel Novy Urengoi 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-21) last Saturday.  More Major step taken in 2012 Beach Volleyball Olympic qualification process Lausanne, Switzerland, March 10, 2010 – The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) has announced a major change to the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Cup, with the competition splitting in two and changing name - the Continental Beach Volleyball Cup and FIVB Beach Volleyball World Cup Olympic Qualification - in an effort to facilitate the implementation of a more universal Olympic system and better illustrate the nature of the tournament.   More Puerto Rico's Yantin looking for FIVB World Grand Prix place San Juan, Puerto Rico, March 10, 2010 – Yamileska Yantin is already staking her claim for a place on Puerto Rico’s FIVB World Grand Prix team by reaching the 2,000 point milestone in the country’s Volleyball League after picking up 15 points for Corozal despite their 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 25-23) loss against Toa Baja on Sunday.  More FIVB World Grand Prix now 150 days away Lausanne, Switzerland, March 9, 2010 – It is now just 150 days until the FIVB World Grand Prix officially begins and many teams are already drawing up plans on ways they can win the 18th edition of the tournament from August 6-29.  More Czech coach seeks improvement on this year's SWATCH FIVB World Tour Hamburg, Germany, March 9, 2010 – Michael Palinek, coach of Czech pair Kristyna Kolocova and Marketa Slukova has said he would be happy with a top 30 finish in this year’s SWATCH FIVB World Tour.  More DR Congo book ticket to Youth Olympic Games Durban, South Africa, March 9, 2010 - Dark horses DR Congo booked their place at the Youth Olympic Games after winning the African Qualifying tournament at the Durban University of Technology’s Fred Crookes Sport Centre on Sunday by edging out Liberia 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-21.)   More Mexicans Candelas and Garcia stun SWATCH FIVB World Champions Kessy and Ross Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, March 8, 2010 – Mexicans Bibi Candelas and Mayra Garcia scored an astonishing victory over SWATCH FIVB 2009 World Champions Jennifer Kessy and April Ross of USA to win the gold medal in the four-team Beach Volleyball Tournament celebrating the Bicentennial of Mexican Independence on Sunday.  More | español German legend Grün honoured with award Berlin, Germany, March 8, 2010 – Ex-German Volleyball legend and FIVB World Championship 2006 participant Angelina Grün was presented a special recognition award on Saturday for her services to the sport by the Germany Volleyball Association.  More SWATCH FIVB Junior stars pick up victory in first leg of Brazilian U-21 tour Maringa, Brazil, March 7, 2010 – SWATCH FIVB Junior World Championship runners-up Alvaro Filho and Vitor Gonclaves began their quest for a third successive Brazilian Beach Volleyball U-21 Tour title with a 2-0 (18-13, 18-15) victory over Jô and Josias on Sunday in Maringa.  More RD Congo continues surprise run to beat South Africa in Africa YOG qualifiers Durban, South Africa, March 5, 2010 - RD Congo clinched a critical victory over the host team South Africa in the second day of the Boys Youth Olympic Games African Qualifications at the Durban University of Technology’s Fred Crookes Sport Centre in Durban, South Africa on Thursday, coming back from one-set down to win 3-1 (20-25, 28-26, 25-23, 25-23). Morocco secured their first victory of the tournament beating Liberia in a five set thriller lasting for two hours 3-2 (23-25, 25-14, 25-21, 19-25, 15-12).  More Serbian coach releases list of 50 players in contention for a squad place Belgrade, Serbia, March 5, 2010 - Igor Kolakovic, coach of the Serbia men’s team, has announced a list of 50 names that he is likely to choose his FIVB 2010 World League and FIVB 2010 World Championship squad from.  More Juliana and Larissa in top form on Brazilian national tour Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, February 10, 2010 – Juliana Felisberta and Larissa Franca, winners of the SWATCH FIVB World Tour last year, have continued their good form in the Brazilian National Beach Volleyball Tour by winning the second stage of the competition in Balneario Camboriu on Sunday.  More