Croatia and other host countries share high expectations for EuroVolley 2021 Women

Belgrade, Serbia. A meeting involving high-ranking CEV officials, including CEV President Aleksandar Boricic, and representatives of the four countries – Serbia, Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania – due to host CEV EuroVolley 2021 Women took place on Friday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belgrade. The discussions revolved around the promotion of the event and planned marketing activities, taking into account the very special circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic. 

The Drawing of Lots for CEV EuroVolley 2021 Women will be taking place after completion of all qualifiers, which are due to conclude on May 16 at the latest. Meanwhile, the four host countries will each appoint two ambassadors to help with the promotion of the continental flagship event for women’s national teams, whose role will be highly important especially to raise awareness around the tournament on social and digital media channels. The ambassadors will participate in the DOL as well. The CEV and the four host countries will soon announce the names of these highly important figures for the promotion of Volleyball in each nation.  

The CEV officials and representatives of the four National Federations discussed a number of other items, such as transportation and health protocols – which have become of paramount importance since the outbreak of the global health crisis. 

“We are living difficult times around the world, not only in Europe, but sport can help us spread some good vibes and positive energy,” said CEV Senior Vice-President, Renato Arena. “EuroVolley 2021 is such an emotional event and the most important one for us. We can deliver a good message for everybody through such a sporting event. We continue to play Volleyball despite everything and we do this by sticking together – like members of the same team. Volleyball has been one of the first sports to send out such a strong message of hope and resilience in pandemic times.”

(l-r): CEV Senior Vice-President Renato Arena, CEV President Aleksandar Boricic, CEV Vice-President and EuroVolley 2021 Women Jury President Lubor Halanda 

“I am extremely proud that I can serve as the Jury President of this prestigious tournament, and I have only one expectation – a great event. All four organisers, and especially the Volleyball Federation of Serbia, have a wealth of experience and have organised many major international competitions so far, so I can only have high expectations for EuroVolley 2021 Women,” said Lubor Halanda, CEV Vice-President in charge of Administrative Affairs.

“Serbia needs to deliver something much bigger than we did in 2011, considering that there were about six or seven thousand people at the time at Pionir sports hall, and now we have an arena with up to 24,000 seats and we want to fill it with Volleyball fans. This is a big task and the main topic of this meeting. We are planning a great marketing campaign, not only European, but global as well. With the help of the CEV, we should all work together, the host countries, and promote the European Championship in other continents as well. I hope that, with the help of all social networks and TV stations, we will be able to deliver one great event, and a championship followed by people across the globe, especially in Asia and Africa,” said Mr Zoran Gajic, President of the Volleyball Federation of Serbia.

Next to Mr Arena and Mr Halanda, the CEV’s delegation in Belgrade included Managing Director Thorsten Endres, Maja Poljak, CEV Eurovolley Women 2021 Project Leader, Zoran Avramovic, CEV Marketing Advisor, and Snežana Miši?, Executive Assistant to the President Office in Belgrade. 

President Lubomir Ganev and Director of International Affairs and Events Department Valentin Pomakov represented the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation, with Mr Ante Bakovic, President, Valentina Bifflin, Director, and Frane Žanic, Secretary Expert attending the meeting for the Croatian Volleyball Federation. Representatives of the Romanian Volleyball Federation, namely Adin Marian Cojocaru, President, and Oana Sarb, Vice-President, participated via video link.

News:
CEV – European Volleyball
HOS – Croatian Volleyball Federation