FIVB lifts Volleyball Federation of India suspension

FIVB was convinced that the Indian federation was now in a position to independently administer the sport in the country.

Representative Image: The FIVB had imposed the suspension in December, 2016.

The FIVB, volleyball’s world body, has lifted the provisional suspension imposed on the Volleyball Federation of India (VFI) in December 2016.

The VFI, which announced the news on Tuesday night, said that the FIVB was convinced that the Indian federation was now in a position to independently administer the sport in the country and hence lifted the suspension imposed on it.

The Government of India granting recognition to the VFI, after noting that its elections held on April 11, 2016 were in accordance with the applicable rules and the National Sports Code, also worked favourably for the Indian body, said the VFI secretary General Ramavtar Singh Jakhar in a release.

‘Full passion and fervour’

“The Indian volleyball team will now be able to proudly participate in all international tournaments under the Indian flag with full passion and fervour,” said the VFI. “Our national teams had been playing a few tournaments under the Indian Olympic Association’s flag,” said VFI joint secretary Nalakath Basheer on Tuesday night.

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The FIVB had imposed the suspension on December 9, 2016 after the VFI president Avadesh Chaudhary moved court challenging his ouster and the federation’s proposal to hold fresh elections.

The Delhi High Court had earlier permitted the VFI to hold its elections on April 11, 2016 as scheduled but said that the results would be released by the court only a year later, on April 27, 2017.

Later, the Government also granted recognition to the VFI and this has been renewed for 2018 also, said the VFI.