Multiple English men’s volleyball club champions, IBB Polonia London, are having trouble setting up a home match of the 1/32 Finals of the Men’s CEV Volleyball Cup 2022 against Dutch Orion Doetinchem, blaming “Brexit“ for that.
Since August, the English powerhouse Polonia has had a fully professional squad and is based in Poland, being guests of PGE Skra Bełchatów where they have been training and preparing for the obligations in continental competitions. Polonia suffered an early elimination from the CEV Champions League Volley 2022 qualifications and continued their European campaign in the Qualifying Round of the CEV Cup. Their next rival is Orion. However, Polonia’s players cannot get visas to enter the UK to play matches there as hosts, including the first leg against the Dutch side. This is caused by “Brexit“ (the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on January 31, 2020), as Polonia explained, which caused the delay in processing visas for their players. The process began in October 2020 and no progress was made ever since.
Polonia suggested that the game they were to be hosts against Orion be played on neutral ground, in Poland, but it was refused by the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV). Then, the club originally based in London proposed both matches to be played at the home venue of their rivals Orion, but they could not meet this demand due to a lack of hall availability. So, there will be only one duel, hosted by Orion in The Netherlands, meaning Polonia will lose the first leg with a forfeit, 0-3.
However, this does not solve all Polonia’s problems. The consequences of a “Brexit“ don’t allow the seven-time English champions to legally bring all of their players to the UK and work in London. This means they cannot play games in the UK at all. To continue competing in the national championship, Polonia use a squad containing students from the Pro Volley Academy in London, which are supported by senior players from previous seasons who live and work in England, meaning they are eligible to play and travel.
