Bangkok, Thailand, February 26, 2018 – As the AVC has announced a new competition format to be implemented later this year, the draw results of all 10 AVC Championships have been released on Monday shortly after conclusion of drawing of lots for all 2018 AVC Championships at Dusit Princess Srinakharin Hotel in Bangkok.

The draw ceremony was jointly conducted by AVC Sports Events Council Chairman Mr Eom Han-Joo and Secretary Mr Jaksuwan Tocharoen, with AVC Secretary-General Mr Shanrit Wongprasert playing a vital role as the master of ceremonies. Members of the AVC Sports Council and AVC Referees Committee as well as representatives from AVC sponsors and partners and a large number of sports reporters also attended the ceremony.

AVC Executive Vice-President Mr Essa Hamzah and Thailand Volleyball Association’s President Mr Somporn Chaibangyang jointly presided over the press conference and the drawing of lots, with Mr Prajaya Chaiyakam, Managing Director of SMM Sport and Multimedia Business, and Mr Natanon Danaipiriya, Thairath TV Sports Program and Broadcast Director, in attendance.

AVC has recently launched a new competition format which will come into effect for all AVC Championships this year with aims of increasing the quality and competitiveness of volleyball products aside from generating exciting matches for players, teams, media, fans and on-line enthusiasts by reducing easy matches and reducing financial burden for the host and participating teams by decreasing the number of competition days.

AVC will organise 10 Championships this year, starting with the 12th Asian Women’s U17 Championship in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand between May 20 and 27. The remaining nine comprise the 19th Asian Women’s U19 Championship in Bac Ninh, Vietnam from June 10 to 17, the 12th Asian Men’s U18 Championship in Tabriz, Iran from June 29 to July 6, the 2018 Asian Women’s Club Championship in Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan during July 11 and 18, the 19th Asian Men’s U20 Championship in Manama, Bahrain from July 21 to 28, the 1st AVC Women’s Challenge Cup in Hong Kong from July 30 to August 5, the 2018 Asian Men’s Club Championship in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar between July 30 to August 6, the 6th AVC Cup for Men in Chinese Taipei from August 8 to 15, the 1st AVC Men’s Challenge Cup in Sri Lanka from September 15 to 22 and the 6th AVC Cup for Women in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand during September 16 and 23.

According to the draw results, team rankings from the previous edition will be used for pool classification, with the host side being assigned in a pool according to their ranking in the previous event and the teams not participating in previous edition being drawn in the last pool.

In the 12th Asian Women’s U17 Championship in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand, 13 teams have confirmed their participation. Japan, China and Korea are in Pool A, while Pool B comprises hosts Thailand, Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong. Pool C consists of Australia, New Zealand and Iran, with Uzbekistan and three teams not competing in previous event Kazakhstan, India and Malaysia in Pool D.

A total of 18 teams will strut their stuff in the 12th Asian Men’s U18 Championship in Iran and they will be divided into two Divisions, with nine teams not competing in the previous edition including India, New Zealand and Oman being assigned into Division 2.

The 19th Asian Women’s U19 Championship in Vietnam features 16 teams to vie for the top honour and they all will be split into four pools of four teams apiece, while a total of 24 teams will participate in the 19th Asian Men’s U20 Championship in Bahrain. The first 12 teams competing in the previous edition are assigned in Division 1, with the remaining 12 teams fighting in Division 2. However, the lowest two teams in Division 1 this year will be relegated to Division 2, from which the best two teams will be promoted to Division 1 in the next edition of this competition.

In the 2018 Asian Men’s Club Championship in Myanmar, a total of 17 teams have confirmed their participation and will be split into two Divisions, with the top 10 teams of the previous edition playing in Division 1. The two lowest-ranked teams will be relegated to Division 2, from which the top two teams will replace them in Division 1 in the next event.

For the draw results of all 10 AVC Championships, please visit the Asian Volleyball Confederation Facebook by clicking www.facebook.com/AsianVolleyballConfederation Match schedules in the pool round-robin preliminaries of all 10 AVC Championships have also been on display out there.

Related links of AVC
AVC Website: click www.asianvolleyball.net
AVC Facebook: click www.Facebook.com/AsianVolleyballConfederation
AVC Twitter: click: https://twitter.com/avcvolley
AVC Instagram: click: https://www.instagram.com/avcvolley/?hl=en
AVC Youtube: click: Asian Volleyball Confederation