Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia, June 18, 2007—The Confederation of Asia Volleyball (AVC) Board of Administration meeting recently held here made many decicions to develop volleyball and beach volleyball in Asia further.

The meeting reviewed the progress in the sport in the past year, especially: More and more AVC members actively participated in the AVC events, the Board speciallly noted that the Women National team from Iran will take part in 2007 Asian Sr. Women's Championship for the first time, which shows the more popularizatin of volleyball in Asia.

Asian volleyball made great progress, especially AVC Western Zone, where are developing faster and faster. Beach volleyball in Asia got more and more attention from AVC members.

But, the meeting also noticed that volleyball in Asia is still developing not fast enough and immediate and urgent task facing AVC is to raise Asian volleyball level. That is why the meeting concentrated its discussions on how to promote further volleyball and beacg volleyball in Asia.

AVC President Wei Jizhong addressed the meeting and declared AVC's strong solidarity with FIVB and support of all AVC members for FIVB President Ruben Acosta. Mr. Wei stressed that AVC is always putting FIVB missions in priority at any time, and take measures immediataly to fulfil them.

The President said that the meeting would concentrated on how to develop volleyball and on how to draw more teams to participate in AVC events.

The meeting decided to launch a new competition formet called "Asian Cup for Men" and "Asian Cup for Women", which will be held every two years. The top eight teams will participate in the Asian Cup.

The Board suggested to remode the Asian Beach Volleyball Championship in order to promote beach volleyball and encourage more countries to participate in the Championship. AVC President told the meeting "we have great potential in developing beach volleyball. AVC must put priority on more participation and not on the prize money." The meeting also requested FIVB to give more support to AVC Beach Volleyball circuits.

The three FIVB development centers in Asia are playing great role in helping Asia raise the technical and menagement level. Next year AVC will have a new one in Indonesia. The AVC Board meeting decided that AVC should also give some financial and matarial support to the centers.

AVC proposed to create AVC Medicial Commission for doping test for AVC event. The commission will consist of three members, one from Thailand, one from Eastern Zone and one from Western Zone. The proposal will be presented to the coming AVC General Assembly for approval.

The Asian Senior Men's and Women's Volleyball Championships are very significal for the participating teams as the Championships are also the qualification tournaments for the 2007 Men and Women World Cup, for 2008 Olympic Qualification Tournaments and for 2008 Grand Prix. In order to give the teams equal chances, the meeting decided to changs the competion system and give the participating teams more equal chances, and decided that the final round will be played on the round robin bases instead of cross match system.

In order to promote volleyball in Asia, the meeting asked AVC Development and Marketing Committee to concentrate its work on help members in category one and two, and also to encourage AVC NFs to avial the aid program from VCP.