Upon hearing the news that Ivan Castellani is NOT on the team, this happened to us…
The 23 year old opposite hitter has been excluded from Coach Julio Velasco’s preliminary roster for the 2014 FIVB World League which starts later this month.
The cause is unknown but here’s an excerpt from an article released by the FIVB:
Top coach Julio Velasco has to make do without Ivan Castellani when his Argentinean team lines up in the FIVB Volleyball World League on home soil.
The 23-year-old is missing from the squad of 22, which, like all the other 27 teams in the competition, had to be named by May 1. Five players in Velasco’s squad hail from Argentina’s top team UPCN, the runner-up at the South American Men’s Club Championship. Before the FIVB Volleyball World League gets started, they have another goal: the FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship, which takes place from May 5 to 10 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Velasco, 62, who is one of the best coaches in the world having won two FIVB Volleyball World Championships with Italy in 1990 and 1994, is charged with the task of reinstating the hosts of last year’s Finals of the FIVB World League as one of the world’s best teams. He recently stepped down as coach of the Iranian national volleyball team to lead the men’s team of his home country, Argentina. Velasco, who was appointed coach of the Iran in 2011, took up the top job in Argentina following a request from the country’s President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.
We’ve tried to reach out to Mr. Castellani but he has not replied to our request.
In case you didn’t know, he suffered an injury last year, ie external meniscus in his right knee, and had surgery. He has reportedly fully recovered so we just wonder what could be the reason why is not on the team.
Ivan is like one of the future stars for Argentina.
We can only hope he is not injured. Whatever the reason is, we’re still optimistic that the son of Coach Daniel Castellani will bounce back and will soon represent his country again.
Come back STRONGER Ivan!
We miss you already!
Click here to view Argentina’s World League Preliminary Roster.