Russian official Aleksandr Yaremenko claims that FIVB officials neglected to fulfil multimillion dollar compensation commitments after denying Russia the right to host the 2022 Men’s World Championships.
The championship match for men’s volleyball in 2022 was scheduled to take place from August 26 to September 11 at locations in ten Russian cities.
The tournament was relocated from Russia as part of FIVB sanctions imposed on the country in March due to the war in Ukraine, and it was ultimately co-hosted by Poland and Slovenia.
Since then, Russia has asked FIVB for compensation, but according to Yaremenko, secretary general of the All-Russian Volleyball Federation (VVF), the international governing body has broken its promises.
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“Initially, the position of FIVB was that the World Championships were canceled due to force majeure,” Yaremenko told TASS on Thursday.
This point is taken into account in any agreement, especially such an important one as [the agreement] for holding the World Championships.
“This clause states that if the championships are canceled, half of the entry fee is returned to the applicant. Of the $40 million Russia paid, $20 million should be returned.”
Yaremenko added that FIVB had endured “great difficulties” in shifting the tournament to Poland and Slovenia, and had done so simply to save face.
“In Russia, they could have made money, but they needed to hold the World Championships [in Poland and Slovenia] in order not to lose image.
“They changed their position, and now Russia can become the guilty party of this cancelation, and not a force majeure.”
The Russian Volleyball Federation claims it has taken the FIVB to court in Switzerland and filed a lawsuit for $80 million in damages.
“That’s why there was a case with [compensation] claims, at this stage the first claim should be the maximum in terms of declaring our losses. Therefore, the amount is so impressive,” Yaremenko explained.
