Sitting Volleyball in Greece seeks return to the fold

Lamia, Greece, 26 May 20223 – Greece is taking small but steady steps to return to the fold of ParaVolley Europe as the Hellenic Volleyball Federation and the Hellenic Paralympic Committee are set to come together and explore ways of co-operating in a bid to re-ignite the flame of sitting volleyball in the country.

Sitting Volleyball was a highlight of Hellenic Paralympic Committee event here today, where a number of paralympic sports were showcased to eager crowds and schoolchildren in the central square of this city in Central Greece, some 200 kilometres north of Athens.

An exhibition game involving disabled athletes from the Hellenic Paralympic Committee and players from the local volleyball clubs of Fthia and Lamia SC was followed by some hands-on experience at sitting volleyball for students of local Primary Schools.

The event, which was held with the support of Greece’s National Sports Federation for the Disabled and the Regional Administrative Autority of Central Greece, in the presence of representatives of the Hellenic Volleyball Federation, attracted a wealth of passers-by in addition to the schoolchildren who came organised. It was part of the Paralympic Panorama programme that is set to continue visiting other cities and towns across the country.

Greece had fielded a men’s team in four consecutive editions of the Sitting Volleyball European Championships during the 2000s – either side of participating as hosts at the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games. But there’s been nothing since.

However, this year marks another signifcant indication that something is brewing. Beach Sitting Volleyball wlll be a demonstration sport at the III Mediterranean Beach Games to be held in Heraklion, Crete in September.

And across the other side of the country in northern Greece one member of the ParaVolley Europe family is lobbying to get local authorities and businesses in his hometown of Kavala involved in starting up sitting volleyball as Dimos Kostopoulos, who ended a brilliant international refereeing career last year, tries to shake things up.

So, slowly but surely, activity is starting to pick up in Greece and the anticipated cooperation between the governing bodies of Volleyball and ParaVolley in the coming months.