Volleyball-Florentine, Wong at FIVB congress |10 September 2010

Seychelles Volleyball Federation chairman Jude Florentine and Indian Ocean Zone 7 volleyball executive committee vice-president Ronald Wong are taking part in the congress, which started yesterday and ends today.

A record-breaking number of 194 out of 220 member federations are attending the congress – a non-elective one and the first chaired by new FIVB president Jizhiong Wei.

When he officially opened the congress, Mr Wei thanked the invited guests and representatives of the federations present.

 “The FIVB is returning to world sport. It will be an active and disciplined member of the Olympic movement,” he said.

“The FIVB has achieved plenty over the past 60 years, but development and achievement are also the result of all our national federations who are the owners of the FIVB. We cannot forget our players and our officials who have made the FIVB stronger and stronger.

“The FIVB is now in a transitional period. The board has adopted more transparent and open operations, it is more democratic, more decentralised and more open to all our national federations. This is a collective endeavour, not a personal initiative.

“As the president chosen in 2008, I have the responsibility to lead this evolution. The FIVB is looking to the future, we are looking for a democratic election to pass the FIVB responsibility to the new generation.

“As FIVB president, it is my responsibility to lead and to serve. I will give more responsibility and less power.

Power is only a tool for assuming responsibility but never showing personal authority. This is what the Olympic movement has taught me.

“I sincerely hope we will work together to reach our target, which we will set up during this congress.”
Important issues such as amendments to both the constitution and the financial regulations are expected to be discussed and voted on at the meeting.

The congress will be followed by the zone and executive committee meetings, where the host of the next Indian Ocean Club Championship will be decided, among other zonal volleyball matters.