Ouch!
After a very disappointing 2014 World League performance (1 win and 11 losses), Sokolov and Bulgaria have been replaced by Australia in the Elite 8 a.k.a Group I.
The 2015 FIVB Volleyball World League competition formula was confirmed at the World League Council meeting in Florence, Italy on Friday, where the Group 1 Finals are taking place through to Sunday.
Due to this year’s success, the ground breaking changes made to the competition ahead of its 2014 edition – when the FIVB’s premier annual men’s Volleyball event expanded from 18 countries to 28 for the first time ever – have been retained for the year ahead with seven pools of four teams. Pool A will include Italy, Brazil, Serbia and Australia, while Pool B will see Russia take on USA, Poland and Iran.
“The 2014 edition of the FIVB Volleyball World League has been the best ever, bringing the competition to a bigger and increasingly enthusiastic audience,” FIVB President Dr. Ary S. Graça F° said. “The new formula has produced a very tight and exciting competition, which is always an important component of being able to promote the sport successfully.”
FIVB Sports Events Council President Mr. Aleksandar Boricic said: “The World League’s new formula, including 28 teams and split into three groups, has been a big success. The competition has attracted 50% more spectators and record attendances at eight matches, including a spectacular match outdoors in Rome which saw 11,000 spectators gather at the Foro Italico to see hosts Italy take on Poland in Pool A. The FIVB continues to work on different ways of taking the sports of Volleyball and Beach Volleyball to new levels, and will continue to explore new solutions to achieve these goals.”
Group 1 Pools
Pool A: Italy, Brazil, Serbia, Australia
Pool B: Russia, USA, Poland, Iran
Pool A features two of the most successful countries in the 25-year history of the World League with world No. 1 and nine-time champions Brazil along with eight-time winners Italy, Serbia and Australia, who replace Bulgaria after winning Group 2. In Pool B are 2013 champions Russia, 2012 champions Poland, 2012 silver medalists USA, and rapidly improving Iran.
The make-up of the remaining five pools will be confirmed in the near future.
During the Intercontinental Round, Pools A to E will play according to a home and away system: six matches home and six away.
Pools A and B make up Group 1 – six teams will play the Group 1 Finals for the World League title.
Group 2 will contain Pools C, D, E and F. The Final Round will be composed of six teams. The Final Round winner will qualify for the Group 1 Finals.
Finally, Pools F and G make up Group 3. Eight teams will compete in a round robin system with one host country per tournament, two rounds and six matches per team, and a Final Round with four teams.
The World League Intercontinental Round will start on the weekend of June 5 to 7 with Group 1 involving six weeks of action before a rest weekend and then the Finals from July 22-26. Group 2 will complete its Finals from July 15-19, while Group 3’s two weeks of pool play and another week of Finals will take place from June 19 to July 5.
This year the World League featured 28 teams for the first time having had 18 teams in 2013 and 16 teams from 2001-2003 and 2006-2012. The World League featured eight teams in its inaugural year in 1990, 10 in 1991 and then 12 from 1992-2000 and 2004-2005.
Poland (6 wins, 6 losses) and Bulgaria (1 win, 11 losses) finished 7th.
How did the FIVB determine which of the 2 teams would be demoted to Group 2? Number of wins?
Just wondering.
(images: FIVB)
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