World Congress   Dr. Acosta appeals for continued advancement Porto, Portugal, May 12, 2004 - The President of the International Volleyball Federation Dr. Rubén Acosta called for a collective effort in helping increase the interest in Volleyball and Beach Volleyball in his opening address at the 29th World Congress in Porto, Portugal on Wednesday. “We are very proud of what we have achieved in the 20 years since I was first elected President,” Dr Acosta said. “The FIVB has spent more than CHF350 million on sports activities and has now become one of the world’s top International Federations. ”We must all work together and play by the same rules, and each of us must take every opportunity to increase the interest in Volleyball and Beach Volleyball in our own countries and Continental Confederations and worldwide. “We ask you to spread the word about how the FIVB is determined to ensure the continued and growing success for Volleyball and Beach Volleyball.” His address was made in front of a packed hall on the opening morning of the two-day Congress in the Sheraton Hotel in Porto, which includes an impressive agenda, featuring reports from the 10 working Commissions and the four Councils (Sports Events, World League, World Grand Prix and Beach Volleyball) of the International Federation, as well as various proposals retained by the Executive Committee in Acapulco in January. One of the most important documents to be tabled at the Congress, which is held every two years, will be the FIVB Code of Conduct, a document that has been reshaped and revised, point for point, to ensure that it meets, among other vital issues, the highest ethical standards and the principles of conflicts of interest. “Our Code must be respected at all levels of our sport, and if we discover breaches of the Code, we must investigate them fairly and thoroughly, and not be afraid to take any necessary measures even though it may affect our image,” Dr Acosta said. This document that has already drawn praise by the IOC and is viewed as a model for international sports federations in an era where there can be no compromise in moral behaviour and ethical standards. Congress members will also hear the report of the Finance Commission which will provide once more evidence of the healthy financial situation of the institution and the proper supervision and clarity of the accounts.