National women's volleyball team ordered to apologize to VAM

The Maldives national senior women's volleyball team has been instructed to issue an apology to the Volleyball Association of Maldives (VAM).

The Volleyball Association of Maldives (VAM) demanded an apology from national team players in an email sent on Sunday. In the correspondence, VAM alleged that the national women's volleyball team's absence from practice on the 15th of this month was a coordinated action, asserting that the players must therefore issue a formal apology to the association.

A source familiar with the matter informed this newspaper that national team players are required to report to their offices on the 16th of this month, as per their regular schedules. Consequently, the players have various preparations to make before returning to work. The source further noted that this was the reason the national team players did not attend the training sessions scheduled for the 15th.

In connection with the matter, the Volleyball Association of Maldives (VAM) on Sunday ordered players of the national women’s squad to issue an apology. The association further stated in its email that any player who fails to apologize will be barred from participating in future national squad training sessions.

The Volleyball Association of Maldives (VAM) has recently brought forward several disciplinary issues involving national team players. Last year, the association suspended young national team player Shamail Hussain. The suspension was issued on the grounds that Shamail participated in a tournament held in Laamu Atoll without obtaining prior authorization from the VAM. Shamail has since issued an apology to the association and has rejoined the national squad.

Efforts to obtain a comment from the Volleyball Association of Maldives (VAM) regarding this matter were unsuccessful.