CEV Honorary Members
Andreas Stavrou (CYP)
Mr. Andreas Stavrou is a respected and recognized sports personality who has contributed to the development and promotion of sport in Cyprus. He played volleyball and table tennis at school and club level during the ‘60s. In 1970 he contributed to the organization of the first official volleyball tournament in Cyprus. From 1979 he was a BOA member of the Cyprus Volleyball Association. In 1992 he was elected President of the Federation until his retirement in 2008.
During this period he was elected CEV Board of Administration member (2001-2011) and President of the Small Countries Division (2002-2011).
From 1996 until 2008 he was the Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee.
In 2008 the European Olympic Committees awarded him the Olympic Laurel Award for his exemplary and long contribution to the development of sports in Cyprus and the Olympic movement.
Mr. Stavrou is now the Honorary President of the Cyprus Volleyball Association and the Small Countries Division.
Jacques Shaw (FRA)
Born in Annaba, Algeria, the country where he spent his entire youth, Jacques Shaw started there his Volleyball adventure by contributing to the creation of the Volleyball section in the local sports youth (Jeunesse Sportive de Bône) back in 1949. From 1955 up to 1962, he served as Vice President of the Ligue de Constantine, before moving to France and namely to Montpellier after Algeria declared its independence. In 1964 he attended the Tokyo Olympics where Volleyball was for the first time included in the program of the Games. In 1966 he got the status of international referee and was also regularly appointed by the French Volleyball Federation to various functions, being head coach of the men’s junior national team at the 1971 European Championship in Barcelona, technical advisor, and team manager of the French delegation at the 1992 Olympics to mention only a very few. After chairing, since 1983, the Volleyball centre created in Montpellier, Shaw was elected President of the French Volleyball Federation in 1999, with his mandate being renewed in 2000.
He gradually got involved also in the international Volleyball arena being appointed to the CEV Technical Commission from 1989 through 1993 and as a member of the CEV Board of Administration for a total of ten years (i.e. 2001-2011).
Thanassis Beligratis (GRE)
Athanasios Beligratis started playing Volleyball at the age of 12 and by the time he had turned 23 he was already a national referee as well as a Volleyball coach. In 1967 Beligratis got the status of international referee before he became more and more involved in the management of the sport there in Greece, working as Secretary General of the Hellenic Volleyball Federation from 1975 to 1993. Afterwards he chaired the Federation as its President for a total of 15 years (1993-2008) joining the CEV Board of Administration in 1995 and holding this function up to 2008.
Beligratis was also Treasurer and ExCom member of the Greek Olympic Committee from 1992 to 2008 and actively involved in the organization of the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
He was also responsible for managing the Peace and Friendship Stadium in Athens for a span of 8 years (1993-2001) by the time this venue hosted the FIVB Men’s World Championship (in 1994) and the CEV Men’s European Championship (in 1995).
Fabio Sassi (ITA)
Mr. Fabio Sassi started his career in the Italian Volleyball Federation back in 1956 and worked for FIPAV until his retirement in June 1999. He began his career in FIPAV as member and Secretary of the Italian Sport Organizing Commission and afterwards he was in charge of the international sports events organized in Italy (1978 men’s World Championship, several Olympic qualification tournaments, European Championship finals, World League matches). During the 1980 Olympic Games held in Moscow, he acted as Team Manager of the Men’s Senior National Team.
As for his international career, from 1979 up to 2011 he was a member of the European Sports Organizing Commission, being also its chairman through 1983-2005. Under his presidency he was co-opted as Member of the CEV Board of Administration and gave an impressive contribution to the development of the structure and organization of many CEV competitions.
During his institutional work for the European Volleyball Confederation he attended many events and competitions as Supervisor and Technical Delegate.
He was also a member and then Secretary of the FIVB Sports Organizing Commission.
He always distinguished himself for his work ethic and a total passion for Volleyball.
For more latest volleyball news click here.
