Bummer!
The 2011 World League kicks off tomorrow and sadly some of the world’s best players are missing the prestigious tourney due to injuries, personal reason, conflict and retirement.
It’d be a little weird to watch the matches without these stars knowing that we’re so used to seeing them playing for them respective teams.
Name: Kevin Hansen
Country: USA
Position: Setter
Reason/s: The 2008 Olympic gold medalist had an appendectomy last week and will hopefully miss just the first round of the tournament. Hansen was Team USA’s starting setter at last year’s edition and also at the 2010 World Championship.
Side Dish: Kevin will become a first-time dad this summer.
(image: USA Volleyball)
Name: Sung Min Moon
Country: Korea
Position: Opposite/ Outside Hitter
Reason/s: Moon is recovering from a minor surgery on his right foot.
(image: FIVB)
Name: Stephane Antiga
Country: France
Position: Outside Hitter
Reason/s: After winning the Polish League with Skra Belchatow this season, Antiga decided that it’s about time to rest his laurels and give the new generation the chance to play.
(image: FIVB)
Name: Rayder Hierrezuelo
Country: Cuba
Position: Setter
Name: Robertlandy Simon
Country: Cuba
Position: Middle Blocker
Reason/s: According to reports, Hierrezuelo, Simon and Leal were sent to jail after police discovered their plan to defect during their World League matches in Europe.
Side Dish: Read our special report on this case by clicking THIS.
(images: FIVB)
Name: Ivan Miljkovic
Country: Serbia
Position: Opposite Hitter
Reason/s: After more than a decade of representing Serbia, Ivan announced his retirement after the 2010 World Champs.
Side Dish: Just last week, we received a report that Ivan trained with the team and might even rejoin Serbia at the 2011 European Champs. We hope this is true!
(image: FIVB)
Name: Simone Parodi
Country: Italy
Position: Outside Hitter
Reason/s: Serious knee injury during the Italian League: Dislocation of the patella, the capsule of the lesion and a lesion of the third grade at the internal collateral ligament of the knee.
(image: marchenotizie.net)
Name: Andrae Björn
Country: Germany
Position: Outside Hitter
Reason/s: Inflammation of patellar tendon in both knees. His recovery period is unknown but Andrae plans to compete at the 2011 European Championship.
(image: volleyball-verband.de)
Name: Gyorgy Grozer
Country: Germany
Position: Opposite Hitter
Reason/s: Gyorgy is suffering from “Raynaud syndrome“.
(image: FIVB)
Name: Nuno Pinheiro
Country: Portugal
Position: Setter
Reason/s: Conflict with the coach.
(image: FIVB)
Name: Endres Murilo
Country: Brazil
Position: Outside Hitter
Reason/s: Due to personal reasons, Murilo was given Coach Rezende’s permission to skip the first round of the World League to be with his wife, Jaqueline.
(image: globoesporte.com)
Name: Teodor Salparov
Country: Bulgaria
Position: Libero
Reason/s: During the Bulgarian club season, Teodor tore a ligament in his knee and recovery might take a few months.
(image: FIVB)
Name: Earvin Ngapeth
Country: France
Position: Outside Hitter
Reason/s: Major drama with Coach Blaine! Therefore, the French Volley Federation suspended for a year.
(image: ffvolley.org)
We are sad that we won’t be seeing a lot of stars at the World League but we remain optimistic and excited to see them again playing for their respective National Teams.
Other stars skipping the World League due to various reasons are Riley Salmon, Valerio Vermiglio, Pawel Zagumny, Nikola Grbic, Oliver Keiffer, & Sebastian Swiderski
THOUGHTS?
Check out the 2011 World League Posters by clicking THIS.
Check out the 2011 World League Posters by clicking THIS.
Check out the 2011 World League Posters by clicking THIS.
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