The Volleyball Nation’s League has been moved out of Pakistan after the country’s diplomatic turmoil between India following the Pahalgam terror attack.
The change in venue of the Volleyball League was necessitated after the Indian men’s team pulled out of the tournament that was scheduled to take place in Pakistan.
“The Indian Volleyball officials have informed the regional body that their government has cancelled the NOC issued to them for the tournament after the incident in Pahalgam,” Pakistan Volleyball Federation official Abdul Ahad had told media persons.
The Central Asia Volleyball Association (CAVA) has relocated the Men’s Volleyball League from Pakistan to Uzbekistan. With the change in venue, India have confirmed its participation in the tournament.
The Indian sport administration organizing volleyball tournaments announced that selection trials for the volley league will happen May 6-7 at SAI NSSC Bengaluru followed by team training at the site before moving to Uzbekistan.
Several countries participating in the Volleyball League had also raised concerns about security amid rising tensions between Pakistan and India.
“CAVA had the Annual General Meeting on April 25 in Nepal where other nations also expressed their discomfort regarding their participation in the volleyball tournament in Pakistan. So, it was decided that the tournament will be shifted to Uzbekistan but the dates will remain the same,” a source said.
Islamabad was supposed to host the Volleyball tournament from May 29 to June 4, in which Uzbekistan, India, Iran, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, apart from the host nation were set to compete. A 30-member Indian squad including 22 players, was set to take part in the tournament.
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However, following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 26 tourists were killed, and the growing diplomatic tension between the two countries, the Indian government cancelled the No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued to the contingent.
The Central Asian Volleyball Association is one of five zonal associations of governance in volleyball within the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC). It governs indoor volleyball and beach volleyball in Central Asia and South Asia.
