The FIVB is pleased to confirm February 8 that a SWATCH-FIVB World Tour Grand Slam event will once again be staged in the shadow of Paris’s Eiffel Tower from 25 to 30 July 2006 and that the long-term future of the event is secure until 2008.

The 2006 tournament will be presented by the consumer products group Henkel. After the success of the 2005 edition, the group decided to offer major long-term support to the sport by associating its name with the tournament. Thanks to an agreement between event promoter MCO Sports and the FIVB, the Paris event is also secured through until 2008.

From 25 to 30 July, the magnificent site on the Champ de Mars, in the shadows of the Eiffel Tower, will once again welcome the world’s best players. Specifically, these will include 250 athletes from 40 different countries, Athens medallists, World Champions and teams from France. For the six days of the tournament, the public will be able to see any of the 200 matches planned free of charge in a stadium of 6000 places. France’s capital city is one of four Grand Slam stops on the 2006 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour and offers one of the highest prize funds on the tour, with USD 560,000 made available to the best-ranked teams.

Mr Pascal Cherki, assistant to the Mayor of Paris with responsibility for sport, welcomed the news, saying “the municipality of Paris is very happy to welcome the second edition of this international Beach Volleyball tournament and to offer the city and its inhabitants an event that is free of charge. The 2005 event was very popular and we are convinced that the 2006 event will be equally successful. In 2005, we wanted to stage this event as part of our bid for the 2012 Olympic Games, but despite the final verdict, the municipality was very keen to have a place for sport in the heart of the city”.

On behalf of the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball, the sports international governing body, Angelo Squeo, Beach Volleyball Director, added that “the FIVB is very proud to have included in its long term Beach Volleyball calendar the Grand Slam in Paris which proved already in its first year of history to be among the best events in the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour. This was only possible thanks to the very hard work of a team consisting of the Municipality, Ile de France, a very experienced promoter such as MCO, the French Volleyball Federation, the FIVB and the partners of the event. Such an example of partnership and the fantastic setting of Champ de Mars have contributed to further boost Beach Volleyball and increase its awareness worldwide! We are convinced that this event will attract thousands of fans from all over the world who will be able to enjoy at the same time a unique location, social activities and the best athletes on the planet”.