Russia, a volleyball powerhouse, receives special good news from the International Volleyball Federation.

This recommendation applies to both individual and team sports, representing a significant change after over two years of bans on teams and clubs from these two countries in international events.

The FIVB stated that the new decision is in line with the updated IOC recommendations and has received consensus at the Olympic Summit. The federation stressed that young athletes holding Russian or Belarusian passports should no longer be restricted from accessing international competitions.

Additionally, the FIVB pointed out that the return to competition will follow standard organizational protocols regarding the use of national flags, anthems, uniforms, and other identifying features.

It is noted that since March 2022, the FIVB has suspended all national teams and clubs from Russia and Belarus from international tournaments. While Russian youth volleyball teams will be allowed back in international play starting 2026, the senior Russian national volleyball teams remain banned from international competition.

With this latest FIVB decision, Russian youth volleyball teams at U17, U19, and U21 levels are expected to participate in many international tournaments next year.

Before the FIVB imposed the international ban in March 2022, Russia was one of the world’s leading volleyball powers. Its national teams have won numerous prestigious titles in the global volleyball community.