The Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF) is focusing on securing a ticket for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics as part of its strategic vision. According to the federation’s Technical Director, Martin Melandi, the upcoming 2024 National Beach Tour aims to identify talents that will contribute to this goal.
Speaking at the recently concluded 2024 National Beach Volleyball Star/Open Tour at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria in Ibadan, Oyo State, Melandi emphasized the federation’s commitment to not only the Olympics but also the Commonwealth Games scheduled for Glasgow in 2026. He stated, “We aspire to have a ticket for the Olympics and to also participate in the Commonwealth Games, while maintaining our standard as the top team in Africa by consistently achieving podium finishes at international and continental competitions.”
Melandi highlighted the promising potential of the current U-19 female players, noting their recent achievements. “The girls who participated in the last Olympic qualifier are just going to be 19 years old. Our U-19 girls are the top in Africa; they won the African championship in Morocco and finished second in the Olympic qualifier, which had only one ticket. If not for that, our girls would have competed in the Olympics that just ended in France this year,” he explained.
Looking ahead, Melandi expressed optimism for the next Olympics. “By the next Olympics, they will have matured and gained more international competition experience, and definitely, by the grace of God, we’re going to secure the African ticket,” he added.
To further promote beach volleyball in Nigeria, Melandi outlined plans to increase the sport’s visibility and popularity. “We’ve decided to take this game to Ibadan and will move it from zone to zone to create awareness. We plan to do this in Abuja or Lagos, reaching out to all states willing to host us to make the sport popular,” he said.
Additionally, he encouraged organizations and philanthropists to partner with the NVBF in its mission to elevate the sport. “We will discover new talents and provide opportunities for collaboration to advance beach volleyball in the country,” Melandi concluded.
