AVC zonal associations online elective meetings ahead of General Assembly

The AVC Zonal Associations on Wednesday held their separate meetings through video conference with Zonal Executive Vice Presidents and AVC Board of Administration Members elected by member countries to represent their zones.

FIVB President Dr Ary Graca was present in AVC Zonal Association Meetings on Wednesday to thank all AVC Affiliated NFs for their support to the world’s governing body and express his sincere appreciation for AVC Executive Members for their hard work and dedication in the previous years. The FIVB President also praised AVC and the AVC Zonal Associations that their meetings marked a demonstration of democracy and showed their competence. He is convinced that success and a bright future await AVC and the Asian volleyball family.

FIVB General Director Mr Fabio Azevedo, who also joined the AVC Zonal Association Meetings on Wednesday, said likewise that the meetings showed a demonstration of democracy and he wished all members attending the meetings happiness, safety and good health.

In light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, a full physical meeting could not be safely held and AVC had, therefore, decided to separately conduct meetings for the AVC Zonal Volleyball Associations via video conference on Wednesday for those five zones to make things clear and get ready ahead of the 23rd AVC General Assembly, which will also be organized through video conference on October 26.

With the FIVB’s support on using the Lumi System, the Wednesday’s meetings of the AVC Zonal Associations were split into five sessions of two hours apiece provided for each Zonal Association.

The AVC Zonal Volleyball Association Meetings started with Oceania Zone at 8am Bangkok time (GMT+7), followed respectively by Eastern Zone at 10am, Southeastern Zone at 12pm, Central Zone at 2pm and Western Zone at 4pm.

FIVB officials – Mr Hitesh Malhotra, Technical and Development Department), Ms Daniela Pirri Joly (President’s Office Director), Mr Steve Tutton (Head of Technical and Development Department), Mr Luis Alexandre Rodrigues (Director for Asia & Oceania), Ms Amelia Moore (Legal Affairs Manager) and Ms Giuseppina Rigamonti (Administration & HR Director) played their part in joining the above-mentioned five zonal meetings.

Also in attendance were representatives from the AVC Headquarters comprising AVC Secretary-General Mr Shanrit Wongprasert, himself Zonal Executive Vice President S.E.Z., AVC General Manager Dr Rueangsak Siriphol and AVC Secretariat Director Ms Phenyada Fuengtharnthip.

AVC Executive Vice President Mrs Rita Subowo, a prominent lady figure in World and Asia Volleyball, chaired the Wednesday’s meetings on behalf of AVC President Dr Saleh A. Bin Nasser, who, together with AVC Executive Vice President Mr Essa Hamza. could not attend the meetings.

Ahead of each meeting of the five AVC Zonal Associations, Mrs Rita informed that the Wednesday’s physical meetings could not be safely held due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they had to move on in line with the unity and solidarity of Asian volleyball. She has her fingers crossed and hopes for the best that all problems AVC is facing now will be overcome and the governing body will have to move forward to the brighter future of Asian volleyball. She also thanked all National Federations for their kind support to AVC and expressed her sincere gratitude to FIVB for all of its support for sustainable development of Asian volleyball.

Regarding the meetings, each Zonal Association reported on activities including competitions held, courses and projects conducted in the previous years as well as significant success from hosting and participating in key tournaments and future plans.

Prior to the end of each meeting, an election was held to determine the well-qualified persons who will become Zonal Executive Vice President and AVC Board of Administration Members in each Zonal Association.

A list of those members elected during the AVC Zonal Association Meetings are as follows:

ELECTION RESULTS FROM AVC ZONAL ASSOCIATION MEETINGS (5 ZONES – 65 NFs)

OCEANIA ZONE (20 NFs)
Zonal Executive Vice President: Mr Hugh Graham (Cook Islands)
AVC Board of Administration Members
Mr Hugh Graham (Cook Islands)
Mr Craig Carracher (Australia)
Mr Terry Sasser (Marshall Islands)
President: Mr Hugh Graham (Cook Islands)

EASTERN ASIA (8 NFs)
Zonal Executive Vice President: Mr Cai Yi (China)
AVC Board of Administration Members
Mr Cai Yi (China)
Mr Kenji Shimaoka (Japan)
Dr Eom Han Joo (Korea)
Mr Wang Kuei-Shiang (Chinese Taipei)
President: Mr Cai Yi (China)

SOUTHEASTERN ASIA (11 NFs)
Zonal Executive Vice President: Mr Kiattipong Radchatagriengkai (Thailand)
AVC Board of Administration Members
Mr Tran Duc Phan (Vietnam)
Mr Thein Win (Myanmar)
Mr Kiattipong Radchatagriengkai (Thailand)
President: Mr Somporn Chaibangyang (Thailand)

CENTRAL ASIA (14 NFs)
Zonal Executive Vice President: Mr Ramavtar Singh Jakhar (India)
AVC Board of Administration Members
Mr Yermek Syrlybavey (Kazakhstan)
Mr MD Atiqul Islam (Bangladesh)
Mr Mohammed Reza Davarzani (Iran)
Mr Ramavtar Singh Jakha (India)
President: Mr Mohamed Latheef (Maldives)

WESTERN ASIA (12 NFs)
Zonal Executive Vice President: Mr Ali Ghanem Al-Kuwari (Qatar)
AVC Board of Administration Members
Mr Ali Ghanem Al-Kuwari (Qatar)
Mr Badar Ali Said Al Rawas (Oman)
Mr Abdulaziz A. Albalool (Kuwait)
Mr Shaikh Ali Bn Mohamed Bin Rashid Alkhalifa (Bahrain)
President: Mr Ali Ghanem Al-Kuwari (Qatar)