ROSETO DEGLI ABRUZZI, ITALY, May 18, 2008 - The “hottest” Beach Volleyball tandem on the men’s SWATCH FIVB World Tour since last August is not the reigning Olympic or World champions, but Harley Marques and Pedro Salgado as the Brazilians teamed to win for the fifth-time in their last seven international events by capturing the $US175,000 Italian Open presented by Abruzzo here Sunday on the Palabeach at the Lungomare Trento.  Rebounding from a 13th-place finish last week in the Czech Republic, the third-seeded Harley and Salgado won a pair of matches Sunday to claim their sixth SWATCH FIVB World Tour since forming by their partnership at the start of last season.  The Brazilians posted a 20-22, 21-18 and 15-8 gold medal win over 11th-seeded Julius Brink and Christoph Dieckmann of Germany in 62 minutes.

Tokyo, Japan, May 17, 2008 – The big battle to determine the last four tickets to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games started on Saturday at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. The first day saw four Asian Teams took on two from Europe and two from NORCECA respectively with favourites Serbia beating Kazakhstan, Dominican Republic downing Thailand and Korea taking over Puerto Rico. But the most exiting and tense match is the Asian Champion host Japan brushed aside two times European Champion in the last match of the day. The round-robin tournament also doubles up as the Asian Women's Olympic Qualification Tournament and so the best three teams plus the best Asian team (even if any of the best three teams are Asians) will book the last four berths in the Volleyball Tournament of the Olympic Games.

Tokyo, Japan, May 14, 2008 - Eight National Teams will gather in the dazzling capital city of Japan from May 17-25 to compete against each other in the Women's World Olympic Qualification Tournament to vie for the last four tickets to the 2008 Beijing Games. The round-robin tournament doubles up also as the Asian Women's Olympic Qualification Tournament and so the best three teams plus the best Asian team (even if any of the best three teams are Asians) will book their berths in the Volleyball Tournament of the Olympic Games.

Lausanne, May 13, 2008 - The FIVB Board of Administration agreed on the final date for National Teams wanting to register for the 2010 FIVB World Championships and the start of the Preliminary Rounds at an extraordinary meeting in Lausanne on Monday. The closing date for registration for the tournament has been set at June 30, 2008. The Drawing of Lots is scheduled for September 2008 and the start of the World Championships' Preliminary Rounds will take place immediately after this.