Russia: European champion in 2013 Nikolay Pavlov ends career

The one-time CEV European Championship and FIVB World League winner with the Russia volleyball National Team, Nikolay Pavlov, ended his career at the age of 38.
The veteran opposite switched to managerial work: he’ll be the sports director of the reigning champions of Russia Lokomotiv Novosibirsk. The 38-year-old spent most of his professional career exactly in this club (2006 – 2011, 2016 – 2019), helping them win the 2010 Russian Cup and becoming the MVP of the Final Four.

The Ukraine-born player played in Slovakia’s VK OSMOS Prievidza last season with which he won the national Cup and earned the MVP of the final award. On a club level, Pavlov won two Ukrainian Cups (both with Yurydychna Akademiya) and one CEV Cup (with Dinamo Moscow). Individually, he was awarded MVP of the CEV Cup, Russian league, and Russian Cup once each. In the latter tournament, he was Best Scorer once.
As a member of the Russia National Team (45 caps), he became the European champion in 2013 and winner of the World League the same year, having received the MVP award.