AVC RELEASES TENTATIVE DRAFT OF REVISED 2020 VOLLEYBALL CALENDAR

All 2020 Asian Underage Championships shall be organised by the end of this year in accordance with the availability of host countries despite grave concerns over the global Covid-19 outbreak.

AVC has been closely following the massive pandemic of the novel coronavirus on a daily basis since the beginning of January 2020 and also is in active communication with AVC Board of Administration and AVC Technical Committees in an effort of continuing its activities and competitions on schedule as many as possible.

In light of the rapid spread of Covid-19 around the world which has resulted in the temporary suspension of global airlines operations, AVC has decided to suspend all activities from the third week of February 2020.

However, in its best possible preparation for the resumption of services and activities in case the Covid-19 could eventually be under control with all airlines able to resume normal operations of commercial flights, AVC has sent the tentative draft of the revised 2020 AVC Competition Calendar to its Board of Administration and all affiliated National Federations, implementing a strategic plan to organise all AVC competitions in case the Covid-19 situations will be drastically improving within June 2020.

Regarding the modified 2020 AVC Competition Calendar, the 2020 Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand and the 20th Asian Women’s U19 Volleyball Championship in Chongqing, China will be the first two AVC Championships to be held this year and are likely to be held simultaneously from August 30 to September 6.

The 2020 Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship in Tianjin, China and the 20th Asian Men’s U20 Volleyball Championship in Tehran, Iran will be the next two AVC competitions to be organised at the same period from September 10 to 17, 2020.

After that, Myanmar will host the 2020 AVC Cup for Men in Nay Pyi Taw from September 21 to 28, while the 2nd AVC Challenge Cup for Women will also be be organised at the same period but host country remains unconfirmed officially.

From October 1 to 8, Chinese Taipei will host the 2020 AVC Cup for Women in Yunlin, with the 2nd AVC Challenge Cup for Men taking place in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan between October 3 and 10.

During November 1 and 8, Thailand will host the 13th Asian Women’s U17 Volleyball Championship in Nakhon Pathom, while host country for the 13th Asian Men’s U18 Volleyball Championship from November 15 to 22 has yet been officially confirmed. Nonetheless, if necessary and unlikely to be held in “regular” fashion, both tournaments can be postponed until February 2021 because most of the underage players do not participate in National League season, which will start from October 15.

The revised Competition Calendar shall be organised in the above-mentioned period and agreed among AVC, TV Media Partners and organisers ahead of the reconfirmation by AVC at the beginning of July 2020.

However, if the growing Covid-19 outbreak continues until the end of July 2020, AVC has planned to cancel all 2020 AVC Championships and Competitions and the qualified teams for 2021 Underage World Championships are poised to be decided by FIVB world ranking.

In 2020, only 4 AVC Championships – Asian Men’s and Women’s Clubs Championships and AVC Cup for Men and Women – will be held upon the effective TV rights deal with TV Media Partners, while the other Championships including all four Underage Championships will take place without any rights issue to deal with TV Media Partners.

TENTATIVE DRAFT OF REVISED 2020 AVC COMPETITION CALENDAR

August 30-September 6: 2020 Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
August 30-September 6: 20th Asian Women’s U19 Volleyball Championship Chongqing, China
September 10-17: 2020 Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship in Tianjin, China
September 10-17: 20th Asian Men’s U20 Volleyball Championship in Tehran, Iran
September 21-28: 2020 AVC Cup for Men in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar
September 21-28: 2nd AVC Challenge Cup for Women (TBD)
October 1-8: 2020 AVC Cup for Women in Yunlin, Chinese Taipei
October 3-10: 2nd AVC Challenge Cup for Men in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan
November 1-8: 13th Asian Women’s U17 Volleyball Championship in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand (or February 2021)
November 15-22: 13th Asian Men’s U18 Volleyball Championship TBD (or February 2021)