The Thai government’s understandable decision as host nation to field the strongest possible Volleyball team at this year’s Universiade, which will be held in Bangkok from 8th – 18th August 2007, means that the same team cannot compete in the FIVB’s annual women’s World Grand Prix competition. As the World Grand Prix regulations require the participation of each country’s strongest team, the FIVB World Grand Prix Council has approved the replacement of the Thai team by Kazakhstan for the 2007 competition.

After making their debut in international competition at the 2006 World Championships in Japan, Kazakhstan will now participate in the FIVB’s premier annual women’s competition for the first time. From 3rd – 19th August they will play the three rounds in Tokyo (Japan), Khabarovsk (Russia) and Osaka (Japan) where they will face the teams of Cuba, Dominican Republic, Japan, Poland, Russia and the USA.

The top five teams at the end of the preliminary rounds, plus China as host country, will qualify for the final round, which will be held in Ningbo from 22nd – 26th August 2007. A round-robin tournament will then be played over five days to determine the 2007 World Grand Prix Champion. The 2006 medallists were Brazil, Russia and Italy, with Brazil taking a record third consecutive gold medal and sixth overall.

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