Former Bahrain volleyball national team head coach Issanaye Ramires from Brazil has returned to the kingdom – this time at the helm of South Korea for the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup for Men.
The prestigious Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) championship gets underway on Sunday in the kingdom, and the world number 28 Koreans are among the favourites for the title.
Ramires and his squad were amongst the latest senior men’s national teams to reach Bahrain from overseas ahead of the start of play, along with world number 31 China.
They were welcomed upon touching down at Bahrain International Airport by Bahrain Volleyball Association (BVA) officials.
The remaining national delegations competing in the event are scheduled to arrive in the kingdom by today, with the BVA fully ready to receive the visitors and ensure their smooth arrival. The visiting squads are all residing at Gulf Court Hotel in Sanabis, where Bahrain’s senior men’s squad are also holding an internal camp in preparation for the championship.
Meanwhile, Bahraini Sami Sowayed will be amongst a select group of international referees who will be officiating matches in the tournament, the BVA has confirmed.
Sowayed is on a final list of 12 selected by the AVC to manage matches at Isa bin Rashid Arena at Isa Sports City in Riffa, with one referee from each of the participating nations on the official roster.
The tournament’s refereeing committee is scheduled to hold an initial rehearsal, with the participation of table officials and line judges, ahead of the start of play.
For the preliminary round of the 2024 AVC Challenge Cup for Men, Bahrain are in Pool A along with their Chinese counterparts and the Philippines. Pool B consists of defending champions Thailand, Kazakhstan, and world number 49 Pakistan, while Pool C features the South Koreans, Indonesia, and world number 21 Qatar. Pool D comprises world number 35 Australia, world number 43 Chinese Taipei and Vietnam.
The Bahrainis, ranked 67th in the world, are coached by Jorge Elgueta, a former Argentina international and two-time Olympian. The hosts’ official 14-man roster includes outside hitters Mohammed Yaqoob, Nasser Anan, Mahmoud Abdulwahed and Sayed Mohammed Al Abrar; opposites Ali Ebrahim and Sayed Hashem Issa; setters Mahmood Al Afyah and Hussain Mansoor; middle blockers Mohammed Jassim, Hassan Al Warqaa, Hassan Al Shakhouri and Hani Ali Alawi; and liberos Ayman Harwana and Abbas Abdulla.
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