In the 2023/24 season, domestic volleyball fans are in for a lot of pleasant surprises. The new teams in the men's and women's Super Leagues. The arrival of world-class legionnaires to Ukraine. The updated system of holding national championships. The return of well-known tournaments.
All the above-mentioned issues and many other organizational points were considered at the big meeting of club managers of the Professional Volleyball League of Ukraine, which took place on July 28 in Kyiv. The event was conducted by the President of PVLU Volodymyr Dubinsky.
- Many thanks to all those who find the opportunity to finance volleyball and organize competitions during the war! This is very hard work to do. I am satisfied that we did not lose anyone from the teams and received the full support of the club presidents. I also want to thank the fans, coaches, and athletes! To all those who returned to Ukraine to support national volleyball! Of course, these conversations would not have happened at all if it were not for our defenders! From the bottom of my heart, I want to express my gratitude to the Armed Forces of Ukraine! To the men and women who do everything so that we can enjoy volleyball! Glory to Ukraine! Death to enemies! - Volodymyr Mykhailovych commented on the meeting.
Regulations and participating teams in the championships of Ukraine
At the meeting, regulation documents and provisions on the championships of Ukraine among men's and women's teams of the 2023/24 season under the auspices of the Professional Volleyball League of Ukraine were approved.
It is already known that seven clubs will participate in the championship of Ukraine for the 2023/24 season among the women's teams of the Super League-Dmart:
- SC "Prometey" (Dnipro);
- VC "Dobrodiy-Meduniversitet-ShVSM" (Vinnytsia);
- "Alanta" (Dnipro);
- SC "Balta" (Balta, Odesa region);
- VC "Bukovynka" (Chernivtsi);
- "Halychanka-ZUNU" (Ternopil);
- "Regina-MEGU-OSHVSM" (Rivne).
In the first stage of the competition, the participants will play nine rounds, which will include three rounds. Matches will be held on Fridays, Saturdays (three games) and Sundays (one game).
Nine clubs will participate in the championship of Ukraine for the 2023/24 season among the men's teams of the Super League-Dmart:
- VC "Prometey" (Dnipro);
- "Epicenter-Podolyanyi" (Horodok, Khmelnytskyi region);
- VC "Zhytychi-Polissia" (Zhytomyr);
- VSC "Law Academy" (Kharkiv);
- The team of the Poltava region. VC Reshetylivka;
- Security Police-ZUNU-Dynamo" (Ternopil);
- VC "MHP-Vinnytsia-ShVSM" (Vinnytsia);
- SVC "Burevisnyk" (Chernihiv);
- VC "Bukovyna" (Chernivtsi).
In the first stage, teams will play eight rounds in two circles. Matches will be held on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (three games each).
- Among the newcomers to the women's volleyball elite championship, we have the promising Chernivtsi team "Bukovynka", which spent the last season in the Higher League, and the current winner of the same tournament - "Regina-MEGU" from the city of Rivne. In addition, some changes have also taken place in the men's team: Chernivtsi will also be represented by VC "Bukovyna", and Chernihiv - VC "Burevisnyk-ShVSM". I think that all these teams will be able to show themselves only from the best side, - said General Director of PVLU Andrii Lopa.
Features of the new season
As for the features of the new season, from now on the teams will not have a break in the game calendar. And the referees for their matches will be determined by online drawing of lots.
- We will have a different system of conducting championships of Ukraine, because most of the games will take place over three days. Let's see how it will work. The issue of refereeing was considered. All the club presidents supported the decision regarding the online drawing of lots to determine the referees. Although we didn't have any problems with this in the last season, - noted Volodymyr Dubinsky.
According to Volodymyr Mykhailovych, starting from this season and until the end of the war, the contributions of the clubs of the Professional Volleyball League of Ukraine will be zero:
- In connection with the military situation in the country and because of the difficult financial situation of the teams, we made this decision. Now we are trying to do more work with sponsors, and to date, we have already found enough funds to cover all organizational costs.
Number of competitions
In the new season, men's and women's Ukrainian teams will play four tournaments in the domestic arena:
- women's Super League-Dmart (dates of the start — the end of October);
- men's Super League-Dmart (mid-November);
- Super Cup of Ukraine, where the national champion and the winner of the League Cup will meet (October 20-21);
- League Cup (end of December);
- The Cup of Ukraine, which will be held jointly with the Ukrainian Volleyball Federation (2024).
Such terms are determined by the qualification to the Olympics, where our national teams perform. In particular, the men's national team will return to Ukraine only at the beginning of October.
Already at the end of the same month, for the first time in the history of domestic volleyball, three men's clubs "Prometey" (Champions League), "Epicenter-Podolyany", "Zhytychi-Polissia" (both CEV Cup), as well as two women's clubs - "Prometey" (Champions League ), "Balta" (Challenge Cup) will play in European cups.
- I want to thank "Zhytychy", "Epicenter" and "Prometey" for the fact that they were able to find funds and, in the end, gather quite capable teams. For women, two clubs will also play in the European arena - "Prometey" and "Balta". You know that many players of our national teams are registered for the championships of Ukraine. That is why we absolutely needed changes in the calendar, - said Mr. Dubinsky.
It is also worth mentioning that this year it is possible to hold one more tournament - the EEVZA championship.
- We already have confirmations from Poland, Estonia and Latvia regarding participation in these competitions. However, it still takes a lot of time to resolve all organizational issues. We understand that every team that plays in the European Cups spends a lot of time and effort on the road there and back, - added Volodymyr Mykhailovych.
Fans in the stands
According to the order of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, there are no plans to allow fans into volleyball arenas yet.
- We are working on this, and the president of the Professional Volleyball League of Ukraine - Volodymyr Mykhailovych Dubinsky is actively promoting this issue so that we are allowed to see at least some part of the fans in the stands, - noted Andrii Lopa. - I would like to express my gratitude to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who enable us to hold the competition! We bow our heads to the heroes who gave their lives for our Motherland! We believe and know that Ukraine will win!
Tournament venues
The presidents of the clubs agreed that until the end of the war, the championships of Ukraine will be held according to the tour system. Most of the games will take place in Chernivtsi. However, additional options are being considered.
- We have applications from several clubs to hold the competition, - said Dubinsky. - "Epicenter" offers a hall and infrastructure for playing several rounds in the town of Horodok. "Reshetylivka" is just finishing the construction of a new sports hall and also wants to act as a host party. There is also interest from Dnipro.
However, everyone should understand that as long as the air raid signals regularly occur in Dnipro and Poltava, we will simply not have enough time to finish this or that game day. Despite this, I am sure that we will be able to hold several tours in these cities. Because clubs, their presidents, and local administrations must be supported. Especially since there are all the safety conditions for this.
It is with great pleasure that I want to say that today at least four Ukrainian clubs will have legionnaires in their rosters. By the way, they are nervous and do not understand what it is like to play volleyball during the war. But we assured them that everything will be okay!
