Zenica wants to host the World Volleyball Championship taken from Russia

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The Mayor of Zenica, Fuad Kasumović, spoke today with the Vice-President of the Volleyball Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (OSBiH), Alija Fatić, to whom he proposed that Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the OSBiH should apply to host the Senior World Volleyball Championship in the summer of this year.

Namely, the World Volleyball Federation FIVB announced yesterday that Russia has been stripped of hosting the World Volleyball Championship, which will be held in August and September this year, due to its aggression against Ukraine.

"The City of Zenica was more than successful in hosting international volleyball competitions under the auspices of the European Volleyball Federation CEV during 2020 and 2021. We have excellent cooperation with the Volleyball Federation of FBiH and OSBiH, as well as all the conditions for organizing such a major event, which would be an ideal opportunity for the promotion of our city and country," said Kasumović.

Kasumović bases his optimism on the positive reactions of international volleyball officials after the competitions in the city arena "Husejin Smajlović". The headquarters of the European Volleyball Federation even promised that Zenica would host the finals of one of the elite European club competitions in the near future.

Fatić points out that the European Championship for junior women was the biggest sporting event in the world in 2020, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Memories of that magnificent organization are still fresh for everyone, for which the City of Zenica and Mayor Kasumović personally, as well as the Volleyball Federation of BiH, received a special thank you from Mr. Aleksandar Boričić, President of CEV, who is also a great friend of BiH. Mayor Kasumović's idea is commendable, and we will certainly support it and present it first to Boričić, and then to CEV," stated Fatić.

The Olympic champions from Beijing, the French national team, and the current world champions, the Poles, had previously announced that they would boycott the World Championship in Russia, and FIVB announced that a new host would be determined later.