FIVB President Dr. Ary S. Graça F° with President of the Italian Volleyball Federation Carlo Magri
Parma, Italy, March 10, 2014 – Taking to the stage
at the Drawing of Lots ceremony for the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World
Championship Italy 2014, President Dr Ary. S. Graça F° expressed his confidence
in the host country’s ability to put on the ‘best women’s World Championship’
of all time. Addressing the audience in Italian, President Graça
congratulated organisers on their choice of venue for the Drawing of Lots,
which he described as an “outdoor museum”.
“It is really an honour and a pleasure to be here with you in this
marvellous city and this marvellous country that is Italy,” said Dr. Graça. Carlo Salvatori, President of the organising
committee thanked the local sports authorities and the Italian authorities for
their support and underscored that the “civil and social aspects of volleyball
are very important.” “We are going to make the best of our activities in order
to record success,” he said confidently. President of the Italian Volleyball Federation and
resident of Parma, Carlo Magri, expressed his delight with having the important
ceremony held in his home town: “I am very happy because I am here in my city
and I would like to thank the authorities who allowed us to organise this event
in the venue.” Magri was also pleased to see that “women’s volleyball is very
strong” in the country and that it is an “injection of confidence” for Italy to
host the world event. In his address, the Italian Olympic President
Giovanni Malago recalled the “beautiful moment” when Italy took the title at the
FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship that was held in Berlin in 2002.
Looking forward to this year’s addition of the tournament Malago said, “I am
sure that we are going to remember this edition and that it will be unparalled.” The Drawing of Lots for the FIVB Volleyball Women’s
World Championship Italy 2014 will determine the make-up of the pools in the
first round of this year’s tournament. There were 127 teams that played in the
Women’s World Championship qualification process for the 2014 edition.The world’s best 24 teams will compete in the FIVB
Volleyball Women’s World Championship Italy 2014, which will take place from
September 23 to October 12.Russia topped the podium in 2006 and 2010, while
their predecessor, the Soviet Union, took the title in 1952, 1956, 1960, 1970
and 1990.With the most number of wins in the history of the
Championship, Russia is followed by Japan (1962, 1967, 1974) and Cuba (1978,
1994, 1998) with three titles each, China with two (1982, 1986) and hosts Italy
with one, which they earned in 2002.