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FIVB Board of Administration Meeting:
* New opportunities for Olympic Beach Volleyball qualification
* New court size approved for Beach Volleyball

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, 4 April 2002 - A new qualification process for
the Olympic Beach Volleyball tournament opens new opportunities for all
continents to be represented.

The FIVB Board of Administration on Wednesday approved a new
qualification process for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games that will open
the way for all continents to participate in the sport's most
prestigious competition.

If the selection of the top 24 men's and 24 women's teams (chosen from
the highest ranked eligible teams who have qualified through the normal
process) does not represent all continents, teams from those missing
continents who have competed in eight recognized events become eligible,
regardless of their ranking.

Only two men's and two women's teams from any country may qualify to
compete in the Olympic Beach Volleyball tournament.

"We welcome this new system because it recognizes the universality of
the Olympic movement," Angelo Squeo, FIVB Beach Volleyball Coordinator
commented on the new Wild Card entry system.

Special conditions also apply to the host country, which is
automatically allotted one vacancy, with provision for a second team if
they qualify through the normal ranking system.

Continental championships may be recognized by the FIVB as one of the
best eight results for Olympic qualification. A team may only use one
Continental Championship results for qualification.

Also on Wednesday, the FIVB Board of Administration officially approved
the introduction of a smaller court for Beach Volleyball competitions
and new scoring system to promote a more dynamic game. Wednesday's
formal Board approval now formally puts into effect measures that were
introduced on an experimental basis last season. They will now apply to
all competitions through to and including the Olympic Games in Athens.

The new court size (8m x 16m) is to be implemented immediately for
competitions from 2002 to 2004. In line with the new court size, the net
is to be adapted to a length of 9 m.

Also approved is the "Rally Point System", which, after testing last
year, has produced a more dynamic game and has created more marketable
time packages for television.

In the new format, the first two sets are played to 21 points, with an
eventual third set tie-breaker to 15 points. There is a two point
winning margin for each set.

The approval was granted on the first of a three-day Board of
Administration meeting being held here in the FIVB headquarters in
Switzerland.

Exciting new project for Silva; Pottharst joins Beach Volleyball
Permanent Committee as Players' Representative

Lausanne, Switzerland, 13 March 2002 - Two of beach Volleyball's
greatest players, Brazil's Jackie Silva and Kerri-Ann Pottharst of
Australia have both decided to make special contributions to their
sport. Silva has launched a special program in Rio de Janeiro to help
integrate children and prevent the use of drugs and Pottharst has agreed
to become the official women players' representative on the FIVB Beach
Volleyball Permanent Committee.

Silva's community project is in partnership with local government at 25
different sites around the Brazilian mega-city.

"It is important to me as an Olympic Champion to think about the future
of our children," Silva said in a letter to the FIVB. "If anyone in our
project shows the skills to be a volleyball player we will try to keep
them on our youth team."

The project means that Silva must now step down from being the official
women players' representative on the FIVB Beach Volleyball Permanent
Committee but Pottharst, another Olympic Champion, has agreed to take
over the position to guarantee that there is an open dialogue between
the FIVB and the players. Norwegian Vegard Hoidalen is the committee's
official representative for men players.

"We know that Kerri will have the best interests of women players at
heart and we look forward to working with her," said FIVB President Dr.
Ruben Acosta H.

The Beach Volleyball Permanent Committee plays an important role within
the structure of the FIVB and input by specially elected men's and
women's players' representatives are vital for its successful
functioning. The committee reviews and makes recommendations to the
Executive Committee and Board of Administration for their approval on a
range of issues, including rules of the game, competition format, the
calendar, World Tour regulations, marketing, media and communications,
as well as for matters concerning the sport at the Olympic Games and at
world championships.

As well as both being popular and outstanding contributors to the sport,
Silva and Pottharst were both honored by the FIVB last year in awards to
recognize the most outstanding players of the decade.

Silva and her long-time partner Sandra Pires played together for 27 FIVB
World Tour events between 1994-1997, winning 11 and finishing on the
podium in all but one, where they placed fourth. They returned home to
Brazil to a rapturous welcome after winning the first-ever Olympic gold
medal in Atlanta in 1996. This season Silva will partner Ana Margarida
Alvares on the World Tour.

Pottharst and her partner Natalie Cook played their first tournament
together in 1995. They went on to break the Brazilian stranglehold for
an appearance in the World Tour finals in the same year and one year
later they powered their way to Olympic bronze in Atlanta.

Riding on a huge wave of popularity, Pottharst and Cook then claimed the
coveted gold medal at Bondi Beach at the Sydney Olympics 2000 playing
before a capacity home crowd and millions of TV viewers throughout the
world.. Before switching to Beach, Pottharst was one of Australia's best
indoor volleyball players.

For more information on these outstanding players go to
www.fivb.org/EN/FIVB/BestOfTheCentury/BVB_Women.htm or
http://www.fivb.org/EN/BeachVolleyball/PlayerBios/Player.htmor or
contact the FIVB Press Department at press@fivb.org.