Europe’s best teams fight for Olympic ticket

Men’s and Women’s European Olympic Qualification Tournament 2004

LUXEMBOURG, 4 January 2004 – The year 2004 immediately starts with two extremely important tournaments for the best volleyball countries of Europe. On Monday, the European Olympic Qualification Tournaments commence in Leipzig, Germany for men and in Baku, Azerbaijan for women. In both events, which will be held from 5-10 January, eight teams from the world’s leading volleyball continent will fight for only one ticket for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

Three European men’s teams already secured a spot for the Olympic Games 2004. Besides host Greece, European Champion Italy and 2000 Olympic Champion Serbia & Montenegro finished among the three beast teams during the World Cup, played in Japan in November 2003. The fourth European participant will be the winner of the European Olympic Qualification Tournament in Leipzig; an eight-team tournament in which the best not yet qualified teams will participate.

Russia and France are the main favorites for the highly wanted Olympic ticket, while Poland and host Germany are the outsiders. Netherlands, Olympic Champion in 1996, proved not to be in a good shape in the last years, but is also a dangerous contender. Spain, Bulgaria and Finland complete the event in Germany.

‘We had a good preparation and won all our four practice matches against Netherlands‘, said Russian head coach Guennadi Chippouline during the presentation press conference in Leipzig, Germany on Sunday. ‘But we all know that this qualification tournament is an extremely difficult one.’

‘For us it is our second chance to get qualified for the Olympics’, French coach Philippe Blain said. ‘It will be a tough tournament here in Leipzig and we definitely want to win the Olympic ticket here.

‘We only have a very small chance when we will play all the matches at an extremely high level,’ German coach Stelian Moculescu stated. ‘For me, Russia and France are the favorites.’

The women’s European Olympic Qualification Tournament is a repeat of the European Championships of September 2003. That event turned out to be a very surprising one with Poland claiming the title for the first time in volleyball history and leaving World Champion Italy and giant power Russia behind empty-handed.

The big question during the qualification tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan will be which of the eight participants will win the Olympic Ticket, as the tournament is completely open. Of course Russia and Italy are slightly the favorite, but the other six participants also have a big chance. Poland will try to show again that it is the best team in Europe. European Champion runner-up Turkey will try to play at the same high level as during the European Championships. Germany hopes to do the same as in 2000 and 1996: to win the European Olympic Qualification Tournament.

Netherlands hopes not to miss an Olympic Games again after the disaster in 2000, missing two opportunities to get qualified for the Sydney Games. But the Dutch team is in serious trouble, missing setter Kim Staelens due to an injury and will play in Baku with rookie Suzanne Freriks as the only setter in the twelve players roster. Bulgaria will try its luck as outsider and giant killer, while host Azerbaijan counts on the support of the home crowd.

For both the men’s and women’s European Olympic Qualification Tournament, the competition formula is exactly the same. The eight participants will execute a single round robin competition in the pool phase from 5 till 8 January. The first two teams of each pool proceed to the crossed semifinals, scheduled for 9 January. The winner of the final on Sunday 10 January will be qualified for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. The best non qualified European teams according to the FIVB World Ranking will get another chance in May 2004 during the World Qualification Tournaments.

Men’s European Olympic Qualification Tournament

Leipzig, Germany: 5-10 January 2004

Pool A: Bulgaria, Russia, Poland, Germany
Pool B: Spain, Netherlands, Finland, France.

Match schedule (all times CET)

Monday 5 January 2004
1500: ESP – FRA (Pool B)
1730: BUL – GER (Pool A)
2000: NED – FIN (Pool B)

Tuesday 6 January 2004
1500: BUL – RUS (Pool A)
1730: FIN – ESP (Pool B)
2000: GER – POL (Pool A)

Wednesday 7 January 2004
1500: FRA – FIN (Pool B)
1730: RUS – POL (Pool A)
2000: ESP – NED (Pool B)

Thursday 8 January 2004
1500: POL – BUL (Pool A)
1730: FRA – NED (Pool B)
2000: GER – RUS (Pool A)

Friday 9 January 2004
1730 & 2000 Semifinals

Saturday 10 January 2004
1530 FINAL

Women’s European Olympic Qualification Tournament

Baku, Azerbaijan: 5-10 January 2004

Pool A: Russia, Poland, Germany, Azerbaijan.
Pool B: Italy, Netherlands, Bulgaria, Turkey.

Match schedule (all times are local)

Monday 5 January 2004
1400: NED – BUL (Pool B)
1630: RUS – AZE (Pool A)
1900: ITA – TUR (Pool B)

Tuesday 6 January 2004
1400: RUS – POL (Pool A)
1630: BUL – ITA (Pool B)
1900: AZE – GER (Pool A)

Wednesday 7 January 2004
1400: ITA – NED (Pool B)
1630: POL – GER (Pool A)
1900: TUR – BUL (Pool B)

Thursday 8 January 2004
1400: GER – RUS (Pool A)
1630: TUR – NED (Pool B)
1900: AZE – POL (Pool A)

Friday 9 January 2004
1630 & 1900 Semifinals

Saturday 10 January 2004
1600 FINAL

Confédération Européenne de Volleyball

Europe’s best teams fight for Olympic ticket

Men’s and Women’s European Olympic Qualification Tournament 2004