The All-Russian Volleyball Federation (VVF) has applied to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) demanding that the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) reimburse $80 million spent on organizing the 2022 men’s world championship. The tournament was moved to another country by the decision of the FIVB as part of the sanctions campaign launched by Western countries against Russia.
The All-Russian Volleyball Federation will try to return the funds spent on the organization of the 2022 World Championship. It was supposed to be the biggest sporting event of the year in Russia. The tournament was planned to be held from August 26 to September 11 in ten cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Yaroslavl, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Ufa, Novosibirsk, Kemerovo and Krasnoyarsk. However, after the start of the military operation in Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions pressure from Western countries on Russia, the FIVB decided to move the championship to another country (the new venue has not yet been determined).
The fact that Russia will demand compensation for the costs incurred to host the tournament was announced back in mid-March by the Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation Oleg Matytsin, who noted that Russia was actively investing, including in the construction of new facilities, and also counted on financial returns from organizing the tournament. According to him, Russia was also going to demand reimbursement of contributions paid to the FIVB and compensation for non-material damage.
It took the Russian side about three weeks to clarify the parameters of the claim. But as VFV Secretary General Alexander Yaremenko told RIA Novosti today, the federation has already applied for the protection of its interests in CAS. “We have submitted documents to CAS. We collected all costs, participation fee, preparation costs, including regional costs, construction. The amount of compensation is almost $80 million,” said Mr. Yaremenko. True, he also noted that the process, which has not yet begun, is already facing some difficulties. “It is now important to provide legal support, which is not very easy due to problems with the payment of lawyers. Payments don’t go through. We are solving these issues, ”quotes Mr. Yaremenko. TASS.