New National Federation to Run Volleyball in Argentina
Lausanne, Switzerland, April 19, 2004 – The FIVB has been officially notified of the formal constitution at the weekend of a new national federation to run volleyball and beach volleyball in Argentina in full conformity with the rules and Code of Conduct of the sport’s world governing
body.
The election of the board of directors and adoption of the constitution of the new federation FE.V.A – Federacion del Voleibol Argentino – took place in Rosario under the supervision of FIVB Board member Miguel Angel Quintana.
Due to personal business, the President of the South American Confederation, Dr. Ary Graça, could not attend. Mr Quintana found that all the conditions have now been met for the FIVB to propose to next month’s World Congress the definitive affiliation of FE.V.A.
A proposal for the definitive expulsion of the former FAV – Federacion Argentina de Voleibol – will be taken to the Congress due to its refusal to abide by the world governing body’s decisions and the sport’s Code of
Conduct.
Welcoming the official launch of FE.V.A., FIVB President Dr Ruben Acosta said: ‘Argentina had to go through a strong internal reorganisation when the right to register players in international competitions was withdrawn from
the Federation. Some of the world’s best volleyball and beach volleyball players in Argentina have followed FIVB guidance and plans of action and went all the way with our statutes in spite of malicious interpretations and the personal interests of those against the FIVB. We are particularly pleased to note that Argentina’s men’s team has been able to qualify for this year’s Olympic Games thanks to the hard work by the Task Force to whom we gave provisional recognition last August,’ he added.
The FIVB was obliged to suspend the previous national federation FAV in May 2003 following the FAV board’s refusal to accept the suspension of its President Mr Mario Goijman who had been found to be in breach of the organiser’s contract that he had signed for the 2002 World Championships in Argentina, to have sold marketing rights that he was not authorised to sell and to have tried to hide this fact from the FIVB. Rather than just try to
defend himself, Mr Goijman launched concerted and ongoing attacks in the media and in the Swiss courts against the FIVB President and General Manager who had discovered the irregularities in his management of the World Championships.
The Swiss court is still investigating the charges brought against the FIVB and is expected to give its verdict some time this summer. The FIVB is co-operating fully with the court investigations and confidently expects a ruling in favour of its President and General Manager.
The creation of a new Argentinean national federation became necessary following a continued defamatory campaign by Mr Goijman and some of his supporters in an effort to challenge the authority of the FIVB. At a press conference in Buenos Aires in August 2003 the FIVB General Manager
Jean-Pierre Seppey explained: ‘As soon as the FAV was suspended in May 2003 we explained the steps to be followed so that Argentina would not lose its place on the International scene. We were struck by the fact that the former President of the FAV and his supporters were virtually the only people in Argentina who did not understand that international sport can only work if
all the parties play by the same rules. The FAV cannot arbitrarily ignore rules approved by the 200 plus other federations!
‘We always hoped that the FAV would come to its senses, but that changed on August 6th 2003 when, with the participation of the expelled member, they elected suspended officials and, as a President, a member who had been declared ineligible by the FIVB Board of Administration. This FAV decision showed continued contempt for the FIVB’s authority and sent a signal to
everyone else that they were not interested in allowing the players to be readmitted to international competition,’ he added.
For more details contact:
Richard Baker – FIVB Communications
Phone: +41 21 345 35 35
Fax: +41 21 345 35 45
press@fivb.org