Ancona, Italy, September 28, 2010 – The 2010 FIVB Men's Volleyball World Championship was officially welcomed to the city of Ancona with a dinner held on Tuesday evening.
Among the guests of honour at the gala event were the control committee for Pools L and N, local civic and political leaders, team managers and delegation heads for the six teams participating in Ancona, as well as members of the press. "On behalf of the control committee, I want to thank the Local Organizing Committee for this warm welcome to Ancona," FIVB event director Abdelhadi Ghzali said.
During the welcome dinner, a special tribute was made to Ancona's previous hosting of the FIVB Men's World Championship 32 years ago. Among the local leaders present were Tarcisio Pacetti, president of the Panathlon Club of Ancona for ex-athletes; Franco Brasili, president of the FIPAV Regional Committee Marche; Ancona's mayor, Fiorelli Gramillano, and regional councillor Eliana Maiolini.
"Not only will Italy and Ancona come to the centre of the world with the World Championship, but also the heart of the world," Maiolini said. "Volleyball is not just a sport, but a passion from the heart."
Pool L includes reigning Olympic champions USA, who topped Pool D in the first round, Czech Republic and Cameroon. Czech Republic, competing in their first FIVB World Championship since 1990, qualified for Pool L as the second-placed team in Pool E. Cameroon's only other appearance at this level was a 15th-placed finish in 1990.
Pool N is being referred to as the group of death with three teams ranked among the top seven in the world, including No1 Brazil, European champions Poland (sixth) and Bulgaria (seventh).
The second round starts on September 30. Pool L's schedule has USA facing Czech Republic at 5pm on that day, Cameroon v USA on October 1 at 9pm, and Czech Republic v Cameroon on October 2 at 5pm. In Pool N, the schedule has Poland challenging Brazil on September 30 at 9pm, Bulgaria v Poland the following day at 5pm, and Brazil v Bulgaria on October 2 at 9pm.
Download highresolution
Contact:
FIVB Press Department Director - Richard Baker
Mobile. +39 334 914 1332
Email: press@fivb.org