This is MAJOR!
The FIVB has confirmed that the 76 matches at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games volleyball tournament will be played without Technical Time-outs* to ensure the duration of matches accommodate the busy schedule and fans are treated to the best possible Olympic experience.
After consulting with the teams participating in the men’s and women’s volleyball tournaments in Rio de Janeiro, it has been decided that there will be no Technical Time-outs during the competition in Brazil, however coaches will still be able to call two 30-second Time-outs per set.
The match schedule for the pool phase of the Olympic tournament in Rio de Janeiro includes six matches per day, all at the iconic Maracanãzinho which, with more than 90% attendance expected, guarantees an electric atmosphere. There will be three sessions of two matches each set to start at 09:30, 15:00 and 20:30 local time. The last match of the day is scheduled to start at 22:35 every evening and could potentially continue past midnight.
The FIVB is committed to making volleyball the number one family sport entertainment in the world, and providing fans with the ultimate spectator experience at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games is an ongoing priority.
Volleyball has topped organisers’ lists for tickets and cancelling the Technical Time-outs for the duration of the Olympic tournament will help to ensure matches do not overrun the allotted time in a busy schedule and will make the overall experience more spectator friendly.
*For FIVB competitions, Technical Time-outs are applied as per the following:
In sets 1-4, two 60-second Technical Time-outs take place after the leading team reaches the 8th and 16th point. (Article 15.4 – Official Volleyball Rules)
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