U-185 gives impetus to 'short' players
Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Indonesia's success at the recent under-185 centimeter men's world volleyball championship in Jakarta testified to the host nation's potential competitiveness in the sport when physical factors were equalized.
Although just five teams participated, the presence of Russia, whose "all-round" team is one of the world's best, meant there was still a hot competition.
Japan is also one of the top Asian powers in volleyball, being ranked 16th in the world. Russia is fifth behind Brazil, Italy, Serbia and Montenegro and the United States, according to the world rankings released by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) as of Aug. 29.
But when they came to the event in which the height of the players was limited to 185 centimeters (about 6 feet 2 inches), they literally came up short.
Ranked only 41st in the world in the unlimited height competitions, Indonesia, aside from being motivated by home crowd at the Bung Karno volleyball hall, proved it could win, by taking the championship.
The host team overcame Russia, Japan and Chinese Taipei. It's only loss came at the hands of fellow Southeast Asian team Myanmar.
The Jakarta volleyball event, which was first brought up during last year's FIVB meeting in Brazil, had initially listed eight teams who would participate, but Brazil, Georgia and Thailand decided to opt out due to security fears.
Zulfarshah, Indonesia's team manager, said that physical height had been the decisive factor in normal volleyball competition.
"Given the (men's) net of 2.43 meters (7'11") high, a 2-meter (6'6") tall player, like most European players, will find it easier to get up and over to block and spike," he said here on Thursday.
"The Indonesian national team, with an average height of 185 centimeters can hardly block the ball," he said.
"This competition brings equality. Height is not a barrier. Teams with the best strategy, speed and power will win," he said.
"Without this kind of height limitation in a competition we would have only a very slim chance to win against tall players," Zulfarshah said.
Asian Volleyball Confederation president Wei Jizhong applauded Indonesia's success, saying that the U-185 event provided "weak" nations more equal opportunities and an impetus to challenge the world powers.
"This competition might mobilize more and more moderately tall players into taking up volleyball, thus enabling the technical basis of volleyball to purely count in the game," Wei said in a statement on the sidelines of the five-day competition which ended on Sunday.
Chairwoman of the Indonesian Volleyball Federation (PBVSI) Rita Subowo said that they would be looking to help promote the event in order that FIVB would make it regular competition in its competition calendar.
"We hope that FIVB will include the U-185 competition in its annual agenda and we also hope that event can make its Olympic debut in Beijing in 2008, although it would be in the form of an exhibition event," she said.
Rita also revealed a plan to make a similar competition for women called the World U-175 Volleyball Championship in April 2005.