Podlozny
About changes in the Russian championship’s playoffs formula
“In general, I think, FIVB’s decision to hold the competition in May was correct. Before that, our teams were arriving at the Club World Championship totally disassembled. There was only a week’s gap between the return of the clubs’ international players and the beginning of the tournament. It was impossible to train or to rest in that amount of time. Today, when our team is prepared, I hope, that they will handle the time before tournament without any injuries and this year we would have an opportunity to win the Club World Championship.“
“We were placed in a very difficult situation. We should somehow end the championship to allow Belogorie to go to Brazil, where they have their first game on May 5. In addition, we should return players to the national team in time. We have Sbornaya’s first game already on May 29. Even if we could manage to end the championship on May 15, several players would not make it in time to the national team’s gathering on May 21. But if we end the championship on April 30, players would have some rest before the start of their international challenges, for the first time in many years.“
About Lokomotiv KHARKIV’s dismissal from the Russian championship
“A very complicated political situation had formed in Ukraine and we were pushed to make extraordinary decisions. First, we transferred Lokomotiv’s game with Guberniya NIZHNIY NOVGOROD from Kharkiv to Nizhniy Novgorod. You must admit, we had our reasons to be afraid of further worsening of the situation in Ukraine. Besides, we received an official notification from the Ministry of Sports, recommending Russian athletes to refuse visiting Ukraine in March and April. You know that in the beginning of March it was absolutely unclear what was happening in the eastern part of Ukraine. After the situation in Kharkiv became worse, the team could not continue playing in the Russian championship for purely financial reasons. The club’s accounts were blocked and the team was not even able to buy transportation tickets. Lokomotiv’s administration sent us the official letter, thanked us for the admission to the world’s strongest championship and hoped for the further cooperation.”
To read more news from this country click on Russia.
Also, check out Latest news.
