Rio ready for Volleyball World League games

The Maracanazinho Olympic volleyball venue is ready for the Rio Games, U.S. coach John Speraw said on Tuesday at a training session ahead of the Volleyball World League finals, which will serve as a test event and qualification process for next August’s Summer Games.

“I think so, I feel like it is ready to go right now and you can tell that they have done a nice job for this tournament so I think it will be great for the Olympic Games,” Speraw told Reuters on Tuesday, before his team takes on the hosts on Thursday (July 16) afternoon.

The Maracanazinho, or “little Maracana” has been the home of Brazilian Volleyball since its inauguration in 1954, and previously held the finals of the World League in 1995 and 2008, as well as the 2007 Pan-American Games, the 1990 World Championships and the 1982 Mini World Cup.

Over the course of the week, it will host the World League men’s finals, with which the Rio Olympic Organising Committee begins an intense round of 44 test events running until next May.

As ongoing speculation perpetuates doubts over whether the committee and city authorities will complete preparations in time, volleyball director for Rio 2016, Giovane Gavio, says only small details remain for the Maracanazinho.

“There are some adjustments that need to be done but more in the realm of painting, small details. Everything we can see here will probably be very similar in the Olympics, I think it is a very good venue with a marvellous story within our sport, and we want to turn it into the house of volleyball for the Olympic Games and construct great moments,” said Gavio.

For Brazil player Serginho, the stage has been set and is worthy of the events to come.

“The stage is fantastic for the spectacle that is volleyball, and the finals of the World League here in Rio. I have to congratulate whoever is responsible, because the house is looking good,” Serginho mentioned at a training session ahead of Wednesday’s match against France.

Along with Brazil, France and the United States, Italy, Poland and Serbia are fighting it out for the World League title and a qualification for the Olympic Games.

For home player Leandro Visotto, the team must keep their eyes on the Olympic prize this week.

“This is a huge moment of decisions which will be played out in front of the public and which will define who goes to the Olympics, but it does not guarantee anything. However we play now, we start at zero next year and we are going to have to work very hard to win that medal which is an indescribable dream,” said Visotto.

In total, the test events will bring together some 7000 athletes and 12,000 volunteers in a programme known as “Rio Warmup”.

The first of three phases of test events will take place between July and October, focusing on open-air events in order to give athletes a chance to acclimatise to the conditions most similar to those of the real Games which take place in August next year.

The second phase of indoor events will take place from November to January, with the third phase of remaining events running between March and May.