TENTATIVE SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED FOR REVISED 2020 AVC BEACH VOLLEYBALL COMPETITIONS

Following the recent release of the tentative draft of the 2020 Volleyball Competition Calendar amidst the Covid-19 outbreak, AVC on Friday announced its intention to hold four beach volleyball events later this year.

Due to the rapid spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), AVC, carefully monitoring the situation in full cooperation with its Board of Administration, FIVB and all affiliated National Federations, decided to postpone many beach volleyball events, considering the health and well-being of athletes, officials and fans as its top priority.

The tournaments postponed due to the Covid-19 outbreak included the 2020 Asian U19 Beach Volleyball Championships, due to take place at Saphan Hin Park in Phuket, Thailand between March 12 and 15, the Asian Beach Volleyball Tour “Samila Open” in Songkhla, Thailand from April 14 to 16 and the AVC Women’s Beach Volleyball Tour Can Tho Open in Vietnam between April 20 and 23.

The AVC Continental Cup Semi-finals and Finals, which serve as the qualification for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and due to take place in China’s coronavirus epicentre Wuhan from June 20 to 22 and June 25 to 28 respectively, also suffered a fresh setback when both events have been postponed until next year.

In addition, the FIVB World Tour 1-star event Pak Bara Open in Satun, Thailand from April 8 to 11 was cancelled, while the FIVB U19 Beach Volleyball World Championships in Roi Et, Thailand during September 1 and 6 has been postponed to a later date.

According to tentative scheduling, AVC announced its intent to organise four Asian beach volleyball competitions this year. The Asian U19 Beach Volleyball Championships are expected to get the 2020 AVC beach volleyball events off to a good start when the double-gender competition has been rescheduled to be held in Phuket, Thailand from August 26 to 29.

Thailand will also organise the double-gender Asian Beach Volleyball Tour “Samila Open,” postponed earlier to be rescheduled for September 19-22 at Samila Beach in Songkhla, while the other two events comprise the Asian Beach Volleyball Tour in Penghu Islands in Chinese Taipei between October 14 and 18 and the AVC Women’s Beach Volleyball Tour Can Tho Open in Vietnam during October 24 and 28.

The other two major beach volleyball competitions will also be held in November, with the 2020 FIVB U19 Beach Volleyball World Championships being rescheduled for November 10-15 in Roi Et, Thailand and the 6th Asian Beach Games taking place in Sanya, China between November 26 and December 5.

Despite the release of the tentative draft of the 2020 AVC Beach Volleyball Competitions, the schedule can be modified up to the availability of host countries but shall be organised in the above-mentioned period and agreed among AVC, TV Media Partners and the organisers. Reconfirmation for the 2020 AVC Beach Volleyball Competitions will be announced by AVC at the beginning of July 2020.

TENTATIVE DRAFT OF REVISED 2020 AVC BEACH VOLLEYBALL COMPETITIONS
August 26-29: Asian U19 Beach Volleyball Championships in Phuket, Thailand
September 19-22: Asian Beach Volleyball Tour “Samila Open” in Songkhla, Thailand
October 14-18: Asian Beach Volleyball Tour in Penghu, Chinese Taipei
October 24-28: AVC Women’s Beach Volleyball Tour Can Tho Open in Can Tho, Vietnam
November 10-15: 2020 FIVB U19 Beach Volleyball World Championships in Roi-Et, Thailand
November 26-December 5: 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, China