The profile of beach volleyball is expected to get a boost as the country will play host to USD 1.5 lakh prize purse FIVB Indian Open international tournament in Visakhapatnam from September 4-8.
The four-day FIVB Indian Open Beach Volleyball will see 64 leading teams -- 32 each in men's and women's sections -- from across the globe battling out for top honours, Volleyball Federation of India said in a release.
The tournament, an event of the international parent body Federation Internationale De Volleyball, would be telecast live by a leading sports network in India and several other international networks in 55 countries. Sports Management company Leisure Sports Management is promoting the tournament.
Andhra Pradesh government has given the go-ahead to the tournament and chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy has agreed to become the chief patron of the Organising Committee to ensure successful conduct of the event.
Announcing the holding of the tournament in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh Sports Minister Vati Vasant Kumar said, "The game of volleyball is extremely popular in the state and therefore the beach edition of this exciting sports has even larger followers throughout the coastal belt of Andhra Pradesh.
"We are happy that the first edition of this exciting and fascinating event with 32 top teams of both men and women across the globe would entertain the lover of the game at Vizag. We thank the VFI, the national body and LSM, the sole promoter, to choose Vizag as the venue," he said.
VFI Secretary K Murugan said, "We are happy to bring FIVB event to India, it is a great initiative by LSM to popularise the game in the country. We and our unit of Andhra Pradesh shall endure grand success of this exciting event.
