Nearly a decade ago, the Federation International de Volleyball (FIVB) made a significant rule-change that revolutionised the sport. The rally-point system introduced in 1998 not only popularised volleyball, but also brought in television in a big way.
To make the game more spectator-friendly, the international body is planning a couple of more changes which are likely to come into effect in 2009.
"The effort now is to have longer rallies," said Mohammed Habib Ali Abdullah, secretary, FIVB Rules of the Game Commission (RGC).
‘Defence oriented’
"The game will be more defence-oriented and attacks will be minimal from the front court," Abdullah observed. "The idea now is to give defence more time. And quite naturally, the spectators will get to watch longer rallies.
“By doing so, there be more balance between the offence and defence. Besides, we are planning to simplify the rules, make it easier for the spectators to understand the game.
But for that to come into effect, the RGC should first approve it at its meeting later in October. Then it goes through various boards before the final decision is made at the FIVB Congress in Dubai sometime before the Beijing Olympics next year," Abdullah noted.
Impressed
Abdullah, also the president of the Referees' Commission of the Asian Volleyball Confederation, was impressed with the Indian referees.
"They are making quite an impression. I'm planning to invite four international referees from India for Asian Volleyball Confederation events in the future. If they do well in them, I may also recommend their names for FIVB events," Abdullah said.