The final run home

Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro, July 7, 2005 - The four finalists in the 2005 World League are now installed in Belgrade, ready for the final round, discovering the wonderful "Belgrade Arena" Hall of Sports Arena, preparing with their last trainings before the first confrontation on Friday, when at 5pm (local time), in this totally new sports hall, Cuba will meet Poland. Then, at 8 pm, the host team Serbia & Montenegro will once more show their talent against Brazil who have won the World League for the previous two years. The best four teams are ready!
Pic: Brazil on the winner's podium in 2004
On Thursday, the head coaches of all four teams had their first contact with the media – about 50 journalists and a forest of cameras. Friendship, fair play, determination were the key words and all four were very careful concerning their own predictions and full of reciprocal respect.

Brazil’s Bernardo Rezende, Roberto Garcia from Cuba, Poland’s Raul Lozano and Ljubomir Travica from Serbia & Montenegro proved that they are ready for the greatest challenge of the year, ready for this high level competition, of which the total prize money is US$13.4 million. All of them showed their respect to the other teams. All present felt how much work had been accomplished before this unique arrival in Belgrade.

For the Final Round, US$1 million will go to the winner, US$450,000 to the second team, US$280,000 to the third ranked team and US$150,000 to the fourth finalist.

Facts and TV figures: the Final Four will be broadcasted by 27 major TV channels in over 140 countries worldwide - and all major TV networks are part of it: Eurosport, ESPN, TBS Japan, TV Globo, Al-Jazeera Sport, M-NET Supersport to name only a few. The gold medal match will be transmitted in 23 different languages on TV. The two "semi-finals presented by FIVB " will also be broadcasted in Africa on M-NET Superspot, on FOX Sports Middle East, in Russia, Mongolia, Macau, to name only some.

FIVB World League coverage to date has been confirmed in - 54 European countries, 55 African territories, 19 countries in Latin America and over 25 territories in Middle East and Asia including Russia and Japan - over 140 countries!

"The interest in this top class men's Volleyball tournament is extremely high,” Mario Kochwalter, World League TV Coordinator in Belgrade said. “The Final Round games will be broadcasted by more than 27 different TV stations in over 140 countries worldwide."

FIVB is proud of Eurosport's extensive coverage of the most famous international FIVB sports competition on the Europe's leading sports channel. A 60 minute programme on July 12 on Eurosport 2 will be dedicated to the Final Round of the World League as well. Watch the final on Eurosport International, on July 12!