International Volleyball Federation

Volleyball

The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), or Fédération Internationale de Volleyball, is the global organisation responsible for governing and promoting volleyball worldwide. Established in 1947.

Sport

Volleyball

Founded

1947 (77 years ago)

Headquarters

Lausanne, Switzerland

Affiliations

International Olympic Committee

Summary

The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), also known as the International Volleyball Federation, is the global governing body for volleyball. Founded on 20 April 1947 in Paris, France, the FIVB oversees the organisation and regulation of all forms of volleyball, including indoor, beach, and snow volleyball. Its headquarters is now located in Lausanne, Switzerland. The federation serves a worldwide audience, with 222 national associations as members, and its official languages are English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, and Russian.

The FIVB was established after initial efforts by European national federations in the 1940s to create an international governing body for volleyball, which was previously under the International Amateur Handball Federation. Frenchman Paul Libaud was the first president, serving from its founding until 1984, followed by Mexican Rubén Acosta Hernández, who relocated the federation’s headquarters to Switzerland and further promoted the global expansion of the sport. The current president is Ary Graça from Brazil.

The FIVB organises several major international competitions for both men and women, such as the Volleyball World Championships, Volleyball World Cup, Olympic Volleyball, and the Nations League. The federation also manages numerous junior and youth-level competitions and maintains annual club tournaments like the FIVB Volleyball Men's and Women's Club World Championships.

Beach volleyball was included in the Olympic Games in 1996, marking a significant addition to the FIVB's activities. The federation continues to support the sport by organising world tours and age-group competitions.

The FIVB works closely with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and is affiliated with various continental confederations, including the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC), the Confederación Sudamericana de Voleibol (CSV), the African Volleyball Confederation (CAVB), the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV), and the North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA). These confederations oversee regional competitions and help expand the sport within their respective territories.

Beyond organising events, the FIVB also focuses on the development of volleyball worldwide, including grassroots initiatives, coaching and referee programmes, and technical workshops aimed at growing the sport's popularity and improving the quality of play globally. The federation also sets rules and regulations for the sport, ensuring standardisation across all competitions.

Disciplines

The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) manages and oversees multiple disciplines in volleyball. These include indoor volleyball, beach volleyball, and snow volleyball, each with distinct formats and rules but governed by the same core principles.

Indoor Volleyball: This is the traditional form of volleyball, played with six players on each team. Matches are held indoors on a court measuring 18 by 9 metres, with a net dividing the teams. Indoor volleyball is played to the best of five sets, with the first four sets played to 25 points and the fifth set, if necessary, played to 15 points. Teams must win a set by two points. Indoor volleyball is featured in major competitions, including the Olympics, World Championships, and Nations League.
Beach Volleyball: Played on sand, beach volleyball involves two players per team. The court is smaller than the indoor version, measuring 16 by 8 metres. Like indoor volleyball, beach volleyball uses the rally point scoring system, but matches are played to the best of three sets. The first two sets are played to 21 points, and the third, if required, is played to 15 points. Beach volleyball was introduced in the Olympics in 1996 and continues to be a popular discipline.
Snow Volleyball: A newer discipline under FIVB governance, snow volleyball is played on snow, typically outdoors, with teams of three players. The court size is similar to beach volleyball, and the rules closely resemble those of beach volleyball, including the rally point system. Snow volleyball is growing in popularity, particularly in regions where winter sports are prominent.

Membership

The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) has a global membership structure, which includes national volleyball federations from around the world. Membership is open to national associations that meet the FIVB's regulations and requirements. Below is an outline of the membership structure:

1. National Associations

Each member of the FIVB is a national volleyball federation that governs the sport within its country.
Currently, the FIVB has 222 national associations as members, making it one of the largest international sports federations.
National associations are responsible for organising and regulating volleyball activities in their respective countries, including domestic competitions, training, and development programmes.

2. Continental Confederations

National associations are grouped into five continental confederations based on their geographic region. These are:
- Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC)
- European Volleyball Confederation (CEV)
- African Volleyball Confederation (CAVB)
- North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA)
- South American Volleyball Confederation (CSV)
These confederations oversee regional competitions, assist with development, and represent the interests of their member national associations in global matters.

3. Role and Responsibilities of Members

Members of the FIVB are expected to follow the organisation's rules and regulations.
They must promote and develop volleyball and beach volleyball within their countries.
Members participate in the FIVB Congress, which takes place every two years, where they help elect officials, vote on rule changes, and discuss key matters affecting the sport globally.

4. Benefits of Membership

FIVB provides support for member associations through training programmes, development grants, and equipment donations.
Members have the opportunity to participate in international competitions, including World Championships, World Cups, and the Olympic Games.
The FIVB also supports grassroots initiatives aimed at promoting the sport, helping national federations grow their volleyball programmes.

References