FIVB Volleyball World League
The Volleyball World League is a competition for teams of men. The tournament is held annually since 1990. A similar tournament for the women's teams, the volleyball World Grand Prix.
Rules
The FIVB changed the rules again and again to increase the sporting value of the World League, and the appeal to spectators. Nevertheless, there are some basic rules.
- The participants of the World League not qualify, but be invited by the FIVB.
- Participants must provide a live TV transmission in their own country.
- The competition is divided into at least two phases. The Preliminary Round ( often referred to as " intercontinental round " ) will take place in several venues. The final round (s) is / are held at a central location.
- In the preliminary round, the teams will be divided into groups. Each team completed four games against group opponents, twice each at home and away twice. One weekend, two games take place.
- After the preliminary round to qualify the best teams for the next ( n ) round (s ). The number depends on the number of participants and the format used.
- The host is automatically qualified for the finals.
- The FIVB has tried several formats for the final round: Top Six, Top Four and quarter / semi-finals. By now comes a mixed format for application. The quarter- finalists will be divided into two groups and the top two teams in each group to complete the semi-finals and final.
- In the preliminary round, a team consists of 18 players, of which the coach for that weekend selects twelve. In the final round only twelve players are allowed.
History
The World League was founded in 1990 as part of an extensive marketing campaign of the FIVB, which shaped the activities of the World Volleyball Federation at the end of the century. Through the annual contest, the officials wanted to promote the sport and attract viewers from around the world. At that time, the most important international tournaments, which were held in the four- year cycle, limited to a host country. However, the World League should be held annually, each team plays host to some preliminary matches. More participation restrictions as prescribed local TV transmission secured an intensive media coverage.
The strategy of the FIVB proved successful; turn of the century, the global league had established itself as a major international event. The generous prize money - the total increased from 1990 to 2004 from one million to $ 13 million - of the national associations compensated according to the lack of tradition and prestige. After the success of the FIVB World League 1993 started with the World Grand Prix a similar competition for the women. This was especially popular in East Asia, while it is not as successful in the rest of the world.
Tournaments
In the 1990s, the Italians dominated the World League and won the first three tournaments. In 1993 Brazil use as the reigning Olympic champions the home advantage, but in the next two years, the Southern Europeans were successful. 1996 defeated the later Olympic champion from the Netherlands, the Italians in a playoff over five sets, but a year later belonged to the decade brought back the title. In 1998, Cuba prevailed before Italy in 1999 and 2000, his track record brought together on eight hits in eleven years. 2001, the dominance of the Italians ended, however, when they lost Brazil in three sets. The South Americans developed with further success in the years 2003 to 2007 on the new power in the world league. Previously Russia won once in 2002. In 2008, the United States ended the Brazilian series, bringing himself for the first time the title. But in the next two years won the Brazilians again. 2011 Russia won for the second time the World League, after they could again prevail against the Brazilians. 2012 won Poland for the first time the title.