Volleyball World Champions Crowned

The 2006 World Championships of Sitting & Standing Volleyball took place from 17 to 25 June in Roermond, the Netherlands.

In the women’s competition, the Netherlands took the gold medal after narrowly beating China in the final. Slovakia claimed the bronze after defeating Lithuania.

In a replay of the final at the ATHENS 2004 Paralympic Games. Bosnia-Herzegovina took the men’s gold medal in a 3:1 defeat of Iran while Egypt took the bronze medal by defeating Germany 2:3.

The championships also included a volleyball (standing) competition which was won by Canada, who defeated Germany 3:0 in the final. They were followed by Poland who took the bronze medal. Volleyball (standing) does not appear on the Paralympic Programme.

A total of 28 teams (eight standing, eight seated women and 12 seated men) participated in the championships, assisted by over 50 international referees and officials.

Volleyball is governed by the World Organization for Volleyball for the Disabled (WOVD). Volleyball (standing) became a Paralympic sport in 1976 (removed in 2000) and the sitting event was introduced at the Arnhem 1980 Paralympics.

Afro-Arab Sitting Volleyball World Championships Qualification Tournament

A qualification tournament for the next Sitting Volleyball World Championships took place in Cair, Egypt, from 2 to 7 December 2005.

Men’s teams of five nations, including Egypt, Morocco and Iraq, as well as first-time participants Jordan and Palestine, competed for the two qualification slots.

During the high-level tournament, Egypt and Iraq proved to be the teams to join the World Championships, which will take place in Roermond, the Netherlands, in June 2006.

In addition, a referee clinic with new participants from Saudi-Arabia, Morocco, Libya and Egypt was held.