Ivan Miljkovic & President of Ivorian VF
Having expressed a desire to meet with ACPV management after finding information about the ACPV online, Mr. Kone was invited to Zurich for further discussions, which he accepted.
Mr. Kone and the ACPV management engaged in productive discussions for two hours regarding the current status of volleyball and club volleyball at world level.
It follows on from FIVB efforts to reach out to Africa, after its president, Dr. Ary S. Graça F°, travelled to the continent in recent weeks.
ACPV General Manager Ivan Miljkovic said: “Following the successful visit of FIVB President, Dr. Ary Graça F°, to Africa recently, I am in no doubt that our dialogue with Mr. Kone supports FIVB efforts to develop the volleyball game on the African continent.”
The ACPV firmly believes following these talks that it can play the role of an active partner regarding ideas and requests on developing club volleyball in Africa and raise the standards of volleyball coaching and education in the game.
One idea mooted during talks with Mr. Kone was to increase the number of international fixtures between clubs from different continents as a means of balancing the standard of volleyball worldwide in the long term.
Other discussions included the issues that the ACPV faces and the efforts it has put in thus far in trying to help club volleyball grow and provide professional volleyball clubs with more opportunities to raise the level of play and market club volleyball in a better way.
“Improving the way we market volleyball will create additional value, which can then be reinvested into increasing the number of children playing and getting involved in volleyball, improving volleyball education and creating a sustainable and balanced volleyball competition in future to attract more sponsors and investors,” Miljkovic added.
Dialogue between the ACPV and volleyball stakeholders from Africa will continue and the ACPV will continue to inform of further developments on its website: www.acpv.org.
