Bangkok, Thailand, April 20, 2015 – The FIVB Referees’ Instructor Course started at the FIVB Development Centre in Bangkok, Thailand on Monday, with 15 well-qualified persons from four continents taking part in the one-week course.

This is the third time for the FIVB Course to be held in history. The first was held in 1989 in Bahrain, with Thailand organising the second and third ones in 2003 and 2015. The course will be conducted by Mr Andre Meyer from Luxembourg, FIVB Second Executive Vice President and President of European Volleyball Confederation, Course Instructor Mr Alexander Steel from Scotland, Course Instructor Mr Sergey Titov from Russia and Course Director Mr Hassan Mohamed Al Hanafy from Egypt. Among the 15 participants, six from Europe, five from Asia, three from Africa and one from the Norceca, are two women consisting of Mrs Zorica Bjelic from Serbia and Mrs Oana Sarb from Romania.

The opening ceremony took place on Monday at Dusit Princess Srinakarin Hotel in Bangkok, with AVC President Dr Saleh A. Bin Nasser, Mr Wei Jizhong, FIVB and AVC Honorary life President and Mr Somporn Chaibangyang, president of the Thailand Volleyball Association jointly presiding.

In the opening ceremony, the welcome address from Mr Somporn was followed by an opening speech by AVC President Dr Saleh A. Bin Nasser.

“On behalf of AVC, co-hosts of the seminar, I’m greatly honoured to be entrusted to FIVB to organise this course. As far as everyone knows, referee is one of the key parts of a success of volleyball. To be a proficient referee, one might need good decision, good health, good technology and good training from well-qualified instructors. This is a good opportunity for AVC to convey its full support to this activity. I do hope that this seminar will bring us to fruitfulness and a success both for the participants and instructors.”

FIVB Refereeing Commission President and Course Director Mr Hassan Mohamed Al Hanafy said, “I would like to welcome all of you to this important seminar. This is the third time for FIVB Referee Commission to organise this course and it’s second time of Thailand to host it. More importantly, this is the first time that two female instructors to join the course. We have never had female participants in this course before. I would like to let you all know that we will have full programs for this course both in volleyball and beach volleyball.

“The main objective of this course is the exchange of experience between instructors of volleyball and beach volleyball referees by using new technology including new e-learn. Only experience, you all will make this course a great success. Last but not least, I would like to give a special thank to the FIVB President Dr Ary S. Graca for his endless supports to have such this course,” he added.

FIVB Second Executive Vice President Mr Andre Meyer said, “It’s a great pleasure for me to be with all of you during the seminar here. We all know that the big challenge awaits us in the future and to catch up with it, al referees have to start learning the latest technology and be instructed in proper ways. This seminar will help all of you learn important things which might be required by those who would like to be accomplished referees’ instructors in the near future.

“One of the key points is that all participants should come up with your opinions. By speaking to each other, the seminar will be more successful because we will all know how far the training and instruction have been made. I’m convinced with high-level instructors, you all will become accomplished in the near future. I hope this seminar will be a great success,” he added.

FIVB and AVC Honorary Life President Mr Wei Jizhong concluded the opening ceremony by giving a short speech, “Welcome to Asia. I wish all of you a success in this course.”

The course will continue at the FIVB Development Center in Bangkok until April 26.