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Latest news from the world of volleyball
Lokomotiv Avia libero Martin Ivanov enters politics
Lokomotiv Avia (Plovdiv) libero Martin Ivanov is taking a new path off the court. The volleyball player will be part of the lists of the "Siyanie" coalition, which was registered today with the Central Election Commission (CEC) to participate in the upcoming elections. The news comes on the day when the coalition, represented by Nikolay Popov – father of 12-year-old Siyana, who died in an accident near Telish – submitted 6507 signatures to the CEC, collected in less than 48 hours. The documents were filed at 10:00 AM, and the date, March 3 – Bulgaria's Liberation Day – was chosen by the initiators as a symbolic choice. Martin Ivanov himself explained his motives with an emotional post on social media:
Marcello Abbondanza and Fenerbahçe are in the semifinals of the Turkish Cup
Fenerbahçe Medicana, led by Italian specialist and Bulgarian national team coach Marcello Abbondanza, qualified for the semifinals of the Turkish Cup for women after a 3:0(25:23,25:21,25:16) victory over Aras Kargo in a quarterfinal match played in the "TVF Burhan Felek Vestel" hall. With this clean victory, the team from Istanbul secured a place among the top four teams in the competition for the 2026 season."The Yellow Angels" started with the lineup: Agnieszka Korneluk, Hande Baladın, Melissa Vargas, Eda Erdem, Arina Fedorovtseva, Alessia Orro, and libero Gizem Örge. The first set was the most contested. With high efficiency in attack and strong performances from Melissa Vargas and Arina Fedorovtseva, Fenerbahçe managed to close the set at 25:23. In the second set, the hosts established a more significant dominance, especially in blocking and attack, which led to a lead and a final score of 25:21.
Andrea Anastasi takes over Panathinaikos
One of the most renowned specialists in world volleyball – Andrea Anastasi – will be the new head coach of Panathinaikos. The news of the appointment was reported byvolleynews.gr, and with it officially ends Dimitris Andreopoulos' 12-year period at the helm of the 'Greens'. An interesting detail about the Italian is that months ago he received an offer from their big rival Olympiacos. Anastasi, however, refused, as he did not want to take Andrea Gardini's place. The two worked together in the Polish national team, where Gardini was his assistant, and their relationship grew into a strong friendship.
FIVB created a crisis headquarters due to the deteriorating situation in the Middle East
The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) expressed concern regarding the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East and the wider region. The headquarters announced that they had received information about young volleyball players killed in Iran. The FIVB extended its condolences to the families and all affected by the unfolding crisis. According to the federation, tens of thousands of members of the volleyball community in the region are affected by the conflict and are facing uncertainty. FIVB's main priority at the moment is the safety of athletes, coaches, staff, and volunteers who are located or residing in the affected areas.
Branimir Grozdanov shone with 20 points, but Dinamo dramatically lost in Brasov
The 19th round in the Romanian Men's Division A1 offered extremely contested clashes and brought additional clarity to the top of the standings. The derby in Brașov attracted the most interest, where champion Dinamo (Bucharest) lost away to Corona with a score of 3:2 (19:25, 29:27, 29:27, 26:28, 16:14) after nearly three hours of battle. From a Bulgarian perspective, the focus was on Branimir Grozdanov's performance. Dinamo's outside hitter played one of his strongest matches of the season, scoring 20 points, finishing with a +9 efficiency rating, 1 block, and an impressive 67% attacking efficiency.He shared the top scorer status for the team with Petza (20 points), but stood out with higher attacking efficiency and better game stability in crucial moments. In a match of such intensity, 67% in attack is an indicator of excellent decision-making and high concentration.
Krakow hosts the semifinals and finals of the 2027 World Cup, the tournament grants three quotas for Los Angeles 2028
The 2027 Men's Volleyball World Championship will culminate in Krakow. The former capital of Poland will host the semi-finals and medal matches, and the news was announced by the president of the Polish Volleyball Federation, Sebastian Świderski. The stakes are extremely high – the top three teams in the final standings will win direct quotas for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. This makes the championship a strategically key tournament in the Olympic cycle. The arena in Krakow is not unfamiliar to the Bulgarian national team.
Reversal: Savitsky's penalty was cancelled, he again becomes a teammate of Alex Grozdanov
After twelve months under pressure, Mikołaj Sawicki has been granted the right to return to training and official matches. This was announced today by Polish media, citing a publication and interview on the TVP Sport website, where journalist Sara Kalisz spoke with the head of the Polish Anti-Doping Agency (POLADA), Michał Rynkowski, regarding Mikołaj Sawicki's case. The Polish Anti-Doping Agency (POLADA) lifted his provisional suspension after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) annulled the initial laboratory result. Thus, Alex Grozdanov's teammate emerges from the most difficult period of his career, but questions surrounding the case remain. The sanction came at an extremely sensitive moment – immediately after winning the title with BOGDANKA LUK Lublin and at the start of the international season.
Chelm stopped Suwalki, Asparuhov's 20 points were not enough
In a match from the 24th round of the Polish PlusLiga, the team of Ślepsk Malow Suwałki lost their away game to InPost HKS Chełm with 1:3 (25:27, 25:19, 22:25, 23:25). The duel in the MOSiR hall offered a serious battle in every set, but the hosts showed more composure in the decisive moments. The match started point for point, and the first set turned into a true war of nerves. After an exchange of runs and long rallies, Chełm edged out the set with 27:25. Suwałki reacted immediately and in the second set imposed stronger serves and better block organization to equalize after a convincing 25:19.
Romania shrinks elite to 10 teams from 2027/2028 – what does this mean for Bulgarians across the Danube
The Romanian Volleyball Federation has officially decided to reduce the number of participants in Division A1 for men and women. From the 2027/2028 season, the elite league will consist of 10 teams instead of the current 12. The decision is stipulated in Resolution No. 41 of the Management Board from February 26, 2026. The 2026/2027 championship will be the last one held in a 12-team format, after which the reduction will follow.
Bulgarian national blocked in Dubai
A Bulgarian national found himself stranded in Dubai due to the escalation of tension between Iran, the USA, and Israel, it was learned.VolleyWeek.bgAfter the conclusion of the regular season with Grottazzolina, which was relegated from Serie A1, the middle blocker was included in Cuneo's squad for participation in the NAS Sports Tournament in the United Arab Emirates. The Bulgarian player participated in the team's second victory in the tournament. Cuneo, competing under the name ALTADAWI, defeated TIGER 3:0 (25:21, 25:19, 25:20) and, with two wins, leads the standings in Group B. Petkov finished the match with 3 points, all scored from attack. His teammate from Grottazzolina, Michele Fedrizzi, is also in the squad.