Volleyball Russia allowed to hold World Volleyball Championships – Finnish match observer resigned: “Small actions can lead to bigger things”

International the volleyball community has been wondering in recent days about the sport’s umbrella line for Russia.

Various sports have largely canceled their planned competitions for Russia when the country attacked Ukraine last Thursday, but the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) has not moved the World Championships marked for August-September out of the country.

The International Olympic Committee has stressed that all sports competitions planned for Russia and Belarus should be postponed or canceled.

The FIVB said Saturday night On Twitterthat it will move next summer’s League of Nations matches out of Russia “because of the deteriorating situation in Ukraine”. The association said that it would closely monitor the development of the situation and assess the status of the World Championships and other competitions in Russia.

For a long time done a day job with Finnish volleyball Jaana Tulla (formerly Laurila) is one of the critics of the FIVB.

Tulla, who currently works as the director of the Finnish Olympic Committee’s club and member activities unit, said on Saturday On Twitterthat the European Volleyball Federation (CEV) may erase his name from the post of observer of the Volleyball Champions League match.

“My personal position is that international sporting events should be moved out of Russia in this case. The independent country has been violated, international agreements and peace have been violated, and enormous pain, sorrow and insecurity have been caused. I can’t ignore that in my own decision, ”Tulla told STT on Sunday.

“I was disappointed that, at least at the moment, the FIVB did not make a decision (postponing the World Cup in Russia).”

Long Tulla, who has worked as the administrative head of the Finnish Volleyball Association’s top sport, published his Twitter post before the latest decisions of the volleyball association.

In addition to the FIVB, CEV said on Saturday on their websitethat the association does not organize volleyball, beach volleyball and snow volleyball competitions in Russia. The association also said that Russian and Ukrainian clubs will play their home matches in the final season of the European Cup on a neutral field.

According to Tulla, CEV’s new policies were good, but they were not enough to spell the Finnish resignation from the position of match watcher.

“My decision was related to the umbrella organization FIVB. I believe that small actions by individuals can lead to bigger things. The decision of the FIVB at this time was bad and wrong, ”he said.

“What bothers me most is that athletes and those who work with sports suffer – including Russians. We should do everything we can to defend human rights. ”

Russia is a strong country in volleyball, which may have contributed to the decision – making of volleyball organizations.

“It’s hard to say how much power or politics Russia has behind (volleyball organizations). But I don’t think there are any reasons at this point that could take precedence over human rights, ”Tulla said.