While there are plans to hold this year’s AVC Women’s Central Zone Volleyball Championship- set for March- in Fonadhoo island of Laamu atol, Sports Minister Ahmed Mahloof has said that this is not possible.

Maldives’ was selected as the host country of the women’s championship, at the Asian Volleyball Confederation’s general assembly in August 2019.

Following this, authorities decided to hold the event outside of the capital and agreed on Fonadhoo island.

While work is underway to build a facility in the island, the minister said that it cannot be completed by March.

Noting that the ministry is holding discussions with AVC officials, seeking to postpone the games due to this, Mahloof said that “there is no hope” of holding the games in Fonadhoo “if they do not agree.”

Hence, if the AVC decides against postponing the championship, it will be held in capital Malé City.

The sports minister met with men and women’s volleyballs teams on Monday evening, to discuss the preparations for the AVC Central Zone tournaments.

The women’s team won silver last year, their biggest achievement to date, Minister Mahloof said that they are “targeting for better results from the men’s team this year.”

While he said this, celebrated Serbian coach Milorad Kijac was appointed to the men’s team in October 2019. Kijac began working with women’s team, after concerns from the players.