March 6th, 2014

Per FIVB:

The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) has announced a modification to its planned rule test for 2014 in order to streamline the testing process.

Following the confirmation of the venues of all four age-group beach volleyball tournaments in 2014, the FIVB has announced that the rule tests focused on the block rule and the first hit in beach volleyball will now be conducted only at the FIVB Beach Volleyball Age-Group World Championships and not the World Tour as previously announced. An additional test concerning the position of coaches at beach volleyball matches will also be implemented at the age-group tournaments.

The first test – which studies the use of the block rule (14.4), as currently used in volleyball, where a block will not be counted as a hit, allowing players a maximum of three hits (in addition to blocking) to return the ball – will be conducted at the FIVB Beach Volleyball U23 and U21 World Championships that will be held in Myslowice, Poland from June 10 to 15 and Larnaca, Cyprus from July 22 to 27 respectively.

The second test – which will study beach volleyball players’ use of the same first hit action in volleyball (Rule 9.2.3.2) where players will be able to come in contact through overhand action with the fingers, as long as the ball rebounds immediately (therefore involving the non-application of beach volleyball rule 9.2.2.1) – will be done at the FIVB Beach Volleyball U17 and U19 World Championships that will be held in Acapulco, Mexico from July 15 to 20 and Porto, Portugal from July 29 to August 3 respectively.

The third test concerning the position of the coach being seated behind the players area and interacting with the players at certain moments (i.e. warm-up, time out and technical time out) will be implemented at all four Age Group (U17, U19, U21 and U23) World Championships and at all first phase tournaments of the Continental Cup.

The age-group World Championships were selected since the competition conditions are similar to that of senior level tournaments with many players at this age level also competing on the FIVB World Tour.

February 21st, 2014

Per FIVB:

Following through on the FIVB Executive Committee’s long term vision to harmonise the rules of volleyball and beach volleyball, two major rule tests focusing on the block rule and the first hit in beach volleyball will be conducted in 2014.

The first test will study the use of the block rule (14.4), as currently used in volleyball, in all FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour events in 2014. In this year’s FIVB Beach Volleyball Opens, Grand Slams and the Grand Slam Final a block will not be counted as a hit, allowing players a maximum of three hits (in addition to blocking) to return the ball. The existing rule 14.4.1 stipulated that a blocking contact is counted as a team hit.

The second test, which is focused on the first hit of the team, will take place at the FIVB Beach Volleyball U23 and U21 World Championships that will be held in Myslowice, Poland from June 10 to 15 and Larnaca, Cyprus from July 22 to 27 respectively. These two age-group World Championships were selected since the competition conditions are similar to that of senior level tournaments with many players at this age level also competing on the FIVB World Tour.

This ‘first hit’ test will study beach volleyball players’ use of the same first hit action in volleyball (Rule 9.2.3.2) where players will be able to come in contact through overhand action with the fingers, as long as the ball rebounds immediately. Therefore the test will involve the non-application of beach volleyball rule 9.2.2.1.

In both cases, the tests will be used to gather scientific match data to study the impact on the game. Video analyses comparing relevant data from the current picture of the game against data retrieved from the tests will be used and the information analysed according to gender.

The reports will be submitted to a group of FIVB experts to be nominated from the relevant FIVB Commissions for final recommendation to the Executive Committee followed by eventual submission to the 2014 FIVB World Congress that will take place in Milan, Italy from October 31 to November 1.

The Refereeing and Rules of the Game Commissions will conduct the testing over the 2014 season, following a request from the Beach Volleyball Commission in December 2013 to study the impact of the rule changes on the game. With the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio a little over two years away, players would have enough time to adjust to the changes if a decision was made to change the rules at the end of the testing period.

With the aim of providing athletes with more opportunities to participate, the FIVB has confirmed a total of 10 double-gender Grand Slams for the 2014 World Tour season, supplemented by a further six double-gender and three single-gender Open tournaments. This year’s World Tour represents a significant increase on the 10 Grand Slams and four Open tournaments which featured along with the World Championships in 2013.

February 19th, 2014

Apparently, there’s a new beach volleyball rule to be tested this year.

This…

To sum it up…

A block contact is not counted as a team hit. Consequently, after a block contact, a team is entitled to three hits to return the ball.

Interesting…

Take note, this new rule will be used at all FIVB 2014 World Tour events.

Thoughts?

FIVB image