ESAP announced that no free participation card will be granted and that the men’s volleyball league of the 2023/24 season will be played with nine teams. THE The Panhellenic Association of Paid Volleyball Players expressed concern over this development in a statement and called on the organizing authority to decide on a 12-team championship.

Announcement from PASAP:

“It is with particular concern that we informed about ESAP’s decision not to grant a free participation ticket for the men’s volleyball league for the 2023/24 season and thus the hosting of the championship with nine teams.”

A decision that completely contradicts what the organizer had initially announced and spoke of a “ten-team championship with the granting of a wild card”.

In fact, these pastimes fuel a sense of insecurity about the league’s credibility.

All of this, combined with ESAP’s unforgettable assurance that there will be a better and more organized league, raises a number of questions that need to be answered:

– Since the organizing authority was aware of the possibility of a team not participating and there was time for a fair and impartial procedure, why had the manner of granting wildcards and the procedure to be followed not been foreseen long ago? Why was it ultimately decided not to award wildcards even though there were several interested teams?

– Is there a provision on how all the provisions of the respective KYA, which finance professional volleyball through the taxation of the bet, are properly implemented and there is no risk in the financing, since it was already precarious with the ten teams?

– How, if at all, will the grant funds from the games of chance corresponding to twelve teams be divided? They could potentially be awarded to the men’s national team for possible participation in the National League, which would help the rise of men’s volleyball in general (as teams have almost filled their rosters and it is clear that the money is not earmarked for this is given to invigorate potential);

– Are there appropriate contracts and insurance specifically for the young athletes of the teams who are already on the playing fields and training for the new sports season? Since they are on the field, i.e. at work, have they signed their new contracts and have the teams hired them on time?

– Is the solvency (e.g. guarantee) of the groups already participating guaranteed in any way? As we know, last year there was a case of a team that took part and, after being relegated, did not repay debts to its athletes and possibly to third parties, despite having received the state subsidy. And it is likely that this will happen in other cases in the future, leading to, among other things, unfair competition.

– Are all the necessary tasks of coaches, gymnasts, physiotherapists, statisticians and staff in the existing teams covered, as befits a professional team?

– Are actions and activities planned to develop and promote the sport (e.g. All Star Game, mini-show at least from the ESAP channel or ensuring the presence of fans in the stadiums)?

– What will really happen to the television rights?

– Based on what programming can the teams organize their training and travel plans? Will the league begin and end on the dates to be determined?

With this decision by ESAP, we believe that men’s volleyball has lost another opportunity to expand to other parts of the Greek provinces and, after a long time, to give many children the opportunity to follow high-quality games up close and so on Get in touch with our sport.

At the same time, the jobs that would be filled by athletes, coaches and team staff competing and working at the highest levels are decreasing.

Greek volleyball must provide every Greek volleyball player with the foundations and conditions so that they can make a name for themselves and develop our national team with them.

All of this should be a common concern, both on the part of the athletes and the organizers. In contrast, the ESAP announcement only referred to “the increase in foreign athletes.”

Men’s volleyball must be a product of professional organization, long-term planning and fairness so that it promotes extroversion and love of the sport and not the other way around. We want to try to expand the sport of professional volleyball and not shrink it.

We therefore consider the organizer’s handling of the wild card issue to be inappropriate and call on him to IMMEDIATELY make a decision for a league with twelve teams from the new season, even at the last minute, with the number of foreigners as is to give Greek athletes the opportunity to compete and claim the national team.

At the same time, it is unthinkable to discuss an increase in the number of foreigners, since essential issues have not been clarified, such as the insurance of athletes, the minimum wage, the organization and promotion of sport, issues that must be urgently addressed and are a prerequisite for this the championship will actually be “better than any other year”.