FIVB President holds meeitng with Bulgaria’s State President Rumen Radev.

The FIVB President Dr Ary S. Graça F° held a meeting with the Bulgaria’s State President Rumen Radev during the “100 years of Volleyball in Bulgaria” Gala earlier this week.

Bulgarian Volleyball Federation (BVF) President Lubomir Ganev and FIVB 2nd Executive Vice-President and CEV President Aleksandar Boričić also joined the meeting. The leaders discussed the development of volleyball in the country and the importance of having a strong national team among other topics.

After the meeting the FIVB President said:

“Bulgaria is a very special country for me for many reasons. One of which is that in October 2015 I received an Honorary Doctor Degree of National Sport Academy “Vasil Levski” of Bulgaria.

“It was a great pleasure today to meet the State President of Bulgaria Rumen Radev and discuss how we can move volleyball in the country to the next level. The FIVB fully supports the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation under the leadership of Lubomir Ganev and we are ready to invest further into the development of the national teams in the country via the programme of Volleyball Empowerment.”

FIVB President with the Bulgaria’s State President Rumen Radev

Talking during the “100 years of Volleyball in Bulgaria” Gala, State President Rumen Radev said:

"It is a great honor and pleasure for me to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Bulgarian volleyball together. There are not many sports that can boast such a glorious history. The fact that the Presidents of the World and European Federations are among us is a huge recognition for our country's contribution to world volleyball. There are many golden moments in the century-old history of volleyball in Bulgaria. All these successes at the European, World and Olympic levels have turned this attractive sport into the most successful Bulgarian team sport of all time.

“Today is a day to honor all the veterans. Those who laid the foundations of volleyball in our country and turned it into a world power. This is the strength of the Bulgarian school over the years. I want to thank all the competitors and coaches. By preserving the traditions, you continue to make us proud to be Bulgarians. You give us a lot of emotions and above all hope for the future. Bulgarian volleyball is not only about titles and medals. Volleyball builds character, instills hardwork , respect for the opponent, sportsmanship, collective thought. Volleyball also educates in aesthetics. Above all else, it is beauty and grace.”