CEV and EOC reach agreement on age limit for postponed EYOF

The CEV and the European Olympic Committees (EOC) have reached an agreement on the age limit for Volleyball players due to participate in the next edition of the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF). The event in Banska Bystrica (Slovakia) was due to take place in the summer of 2021, but the EOC delayed it by a year because of the many changes to the international sporting calendar resulting from the global health crisis. The competition is therefore open to boys born in 2003-2004 and girls born in 2004-2005.

The parties have agreed to invite to the next EYOF the top seven teams from last year’s #EuroVolleyU17W and #EuroVolleyU18M held in Montenegro and Italy, respectively. This is to make sure that these young players do not miss an opportunity to experience the EYOF and a multi-sport competition of this calibre because of its delay.

Therefore, the list of eligible teams, next to hosts Slovakia, includes the following ones:

Boys: Italy, Czech Republic, Poland, Bulgaria, Germany, Belgium and Turkey

Girls: Russia, Turkey, Serbia, Italy, Romania, Poland and Slovenia.

The respective National Olympic Committees (NOCs) are now due to confirm the participation of their teams in the event scheduled for the summer of 2022 in Banska Bystrica. If any of these decide against sending a team to Slovakia, the next best-ranked team from the final standing of the respective European Championship will become eligible to participate in the tournament.

As for the 2023 edition of the European Youth Olympic Festival in Maribor, Slovenia, teams will qualify through the Final stage of the next edition of #EuroVolleyU17W and #EuroVolleyU18M in the summer of 2022.