As things currently stand, the Croatian women’s volleyball team U21 will not travel to the Volleyball World Cup, which is being played in Indonesia. At an extraordinary press conference, which took place in the premises of the Croatian Volleyball Association, CVF director Valentina Bifflin and president Frane Žanić and coach of the U21 national team Ivica Radočaj made statements to the public about this shocking development of the situation, which represents a major problem for many national teams such as Croatia.

First of all, I think it is a precedent that the NCAA and colleges in America allow themselves to sign contracts with female players through the World Federation and the World Cup without any compensation, without any consultation with the umbrella bodies and that situations occur in which, especially countries like Croatia, lose the possibility of equal participation and equal fight at the World Cup!” – said Frane Žanić and added: “Specifically, in this case it is about the fact that six players of our national team, which is half of the team, i.e. the entire first line-up, are not able to participate in the World Cup because they were blackmailed by the college – if they play for the national team, they were told that they will have problems at the colleges and that they will lose the right to education and scholarships

The Croatian Volleyball Federation decided to make a sharp move and send a sharp note. They have asked the World and European Federations to protect them. Not only in Croatia, but the same problem is present in Serbia, Poland, and Slovenia.

Someone had to initiate it, so we decided that it should be us, to see what we will do and how we will solve this problem. If a solution is not found for these six players to participate in the World Cup and to travel to Indonesia, I am not sure that the Croatian national team will travel to the World Cup at all. Considering what we invest in the national teams and everything that is happening, large amounts of money from the state budget, i.e., the Ministry of Sports and the Croatian Olympic Committee, are invested in the national teams. This is why we must be responsible according to them and we must enable the best sportsmen and women to represent Croatia – added Frane Žanić

Although we may be a small country, we are very successful and can be even more successful if we are together and if the best players are available. “.

CROATIA U19 WON THAILAND

Hereby, I once again send a request to the World Federation, although we have already officially sent it, to protect us and to find a way to put an end to the colleges in America and enable our national women to participate in the World Cup in Indonesia – said Žanić

This creates a big problem and frustration for us as a national team, and for me as a coach, considering that we qualified for the World Championship by finishing sixth at the European Championship last year, and now we are going without the strongest team. Of course, we will try everything – we will contact the FIVB and CEV, and with the support of the HOS, to enable the players to still be on the plane to Indonesia. However, as things currently stand, I believe that if this does not happen, we are not even ready to consider giving up the appearance at the World Championship – pointed out the coach of the Croatian U21 volleyball team, Ivica Radočaj

A serious precedent also occurred in the case of a Croatian player who has a valid contract with the volleyball club Mladost, where, in the past years, she received a scholarship from that club, and where everything was respected towards her. Without any compensation and any talks with the club, the player went to America, and the club was left without rights and protection. That shouldn’t happen.

They withdrew it in the same way, and again, nothing to anyone, so I want to make it clear that we want both the Croatian and the international public to be aware that we will fight to the end to protect the national team and for the protection of the players. We believe that it is our responsibility to enable all the best players to be available to the national team and to continue building Croatia’s sports reputation in this way – concluded Frane Žanić

SOURCE: Croatian Volleyball Federation