The British Olympic Association has just issued the go-ahead for its sports federations to fill squads for the London 2012 Olympics for several sports: indoor volleyball, basketball, table tennis, judo, handball, water polo, weightlifting, as well as beach volleyball.
Great Britain’s Olympics committee decided on Monday to fill rosters for these eight sports that have long struggled in its homeland. Because Great Britain is organizing the Summer Olympics, it is issued automatic rights to field teams for these Games, as granted by the International Olympic Committee’s “Host Nations Qualification Places” provision.
For beach volleyball, one of the most popular sports at the Olympics, this decision is most welcomed by not only the players, but by the entire country who is eager to see their athletes compete in this popular event at Horse Guards Palace.
The BOA has continually kicked sand in the face of its beach volleyball Olympics hopefuls. For the longest time, budget cutbacks have forced men and women players to pay their way in their quest to qualify for the London Olympics. As a result, only once has a beach volleyball pair from Great Britain competed in the Olympic Games, when the event was first contested at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics.
But now, Great Britain will be fielding two teams for the upcoming London Olympics in August, 2012, and its Beach Volleyball Federation now has the green light to select a women’s and a men’s team. These two pairs can earn spots on the Olympic Team through a domestic qualification process - to be decided by this summer by the BOA’s Olympic Qualifying Standards Panel.
"Beach volleyball is a fast, tactical and dynamic sport and we are very pleased that Britain's best players now have the opportunity to earn their place and showcase their talent on the biggest stage of all,” said the BOA Director of Sport Clive Woodward in a BOA press release.
Beach partners can also qualify by finishing among the top sixteen teams on the Federation Internationale de Volleyball tour through June 2012. However, the internal selection process is the most advantageous for these hopefuls who are among the mid-ranked in the world standings.
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