DO NOT PUBLISH FIVB reflects on its rich 69 year history

Lausanne, Switzerland, April 22, 2016 – The FIVB celebrated its 69th anniversary this week, which offered an opportunity for the international federation to recognise and reflect on significant milestones and major achievements during its pursuit to make volleyball the number one family sport entertainment in the world. 

The FIVB has a rich history underpinned by its core values of universality, good governance and innovation, which has put the federation in a favourable position to work towards its mission of making volleyball the world’s leading family sport entertainment.  

Its journey started in Paris, France in April 1947, when representatives from 14 countries met at the first FIVB Congress where France’s Paul Libaud was elected as the federation’s first president.  Since its establishment in 1947, the FIVB has gone from strength to strength to become one of the largest international sports organisations in the world with 221 national federations. 

The first FIVB Congress in Paris in April 1947

The delegates from the first FIVB Congress

A global expansion of tournaments has helped strengthen the volleyball family and brought the national federations closer together and created a greater alignment with the FIVB’s vision. The first FIVB Volleyball World Championships were organised in 1949 for men and 1952 for women.

USSR on the attack in the first ever FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship in 1949

Poland take on the USSR in the inaugural final of the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship in 1952. The USSR went on to take the gold

The inaugural FIVB …

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