FIVB’s proposed Calendar under fire: Vladimir Nikolov and Nikola Grbić warn of growing risks for players and clubs

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The International Volleyball Federation’s proposed changes to the international volleyball calendar are facing growing criticism from some of the sport’s most influential figures. Former Bulgarian national team captain Vladimir Nikolov and Poland head coach Nikola Grbić have both voiced serious concerns about a reform they believe could place additional pressure on players, disrupt club competitions and ultimately undermine the quality of volleyball.
While FIVB aims to expand the sport’s global reach and strengthen its commercial potential, the two specialists argue that the interests of athletes, clubs and the game itself must remain central to any decision.

Nikolov, a 2006 World Championship bronze medalist, delivered particularly strong criticism of the current Nations League format and the proposed relocation of World Championships to the winter months.
In his view, the existing VNL schedule is already excessively demanding, with teams sometimes required to play four matches within five days. He questioned whether those responsible for the competition fully understand the physical and sporting implications of such a format, arguing that commercial considerations appear to outweigh the welfare of players.

“The VNL in its current format is an idiocy from the people at FIVB, who most likely have never played volleyball and who are in no way interested in volleyball, only in its commercial side,” he stated.

He also highlighted a contradiction at the heart of the Nations League: a competition designed to attract spectators, yet frequently played without many of the stars audiences most want to see. According to the former Bulgarian captain, numerous leading players are absent from the opening tournaments and only join their national teams during the later stages. This situation, he argued, also creates difficulties for host cities and organisers, who invest in staging events without being able to guarantee the participation of the biggest names.
Nikolov’s concerns become even more pronounced when it comes to the proposed scheduling of World Championships every two years, potentially with the women’s tournament in December and the men’s competition in January. While he accepts the idea of more frequent World Championships, he strongly opposes placing them in the middle of the club season.

“World championships every two years I can understand. I cannot understand women’s world championships in December, men’s in January. That I cannot understand. This will kill volleyball,” he warned.

The Bulgarian former captain believes that such a calendar would create an impossible situation for clubs and players. Teams spend months building their systems and reaching their best form, only to be interrupted by a lengthy national-team commitment. The consequences could extend into domestic competitions, with players expected to peak at different moments for league playoffs, cup tournaments and international championships.

“I want to know when the peak of athletic form should be? January, when the World Championship is, February, when the cups are played, or March, when the playoffs are? It’s not possible,” Nikolov remarked.

He also stressed that the workload is not exclusively physical. The constant transition between club and national-team environments, combined with travel, competition and limited recovery periods, can create significant emotional strain. In his opinion, the clubs that employ and support players throughout most of the year are being placed in an increasingly difficult position.

“Clubs feed the athletes. And their families. Not national teams. National teams enrich the International Volleyball Federation,” he stated.

Nikolov warned that the consequences could eventually become visible through players refusing national-team call-ups. He suggested that if a World Championship were to take place without dozens of top athletes, the federation might finally reconsider its approach. He also recalled the scheduling difficulties experienced by Bulgaria during the Nations League tournament in Chicago, where the team faced an especially short recovery window between a late match against the United States and an early fixture against France. For him, such situations demonstrate that the players’ recovery needs are not being adequately considered.

His criticism, he insisted, is not motivated by the fact that his sons Aleksandar and Simeon are members of the Bulgarian national team. Rather, he believes the proposed changes threaten the overall sporting standard.

“This is not about me being a parent of two children. This is about me being a person who is interested in volleyball. These decisions are against volleyball. Against the quality of volleyball.”

Grbić has expressed similar concerns, although his assessment is focused particularly on the consequences of the proposed calendar for elite players, club competitions and coaches who combine national-team and club responsibilities. The Serbian specialist, who leads Poland’s men’s national team, believes that the workload of the world’s leading volleyball players has already reached an alarming level.

“The proposed calendar is not favorable. It contains many things that will only worsen the situation of the players, especially those who play for national teams. In my opinion, many of FIVB’s decisions are dictated by the desire to increase revenue. Of course, I understand the desire to popularize our sport, but the question is at what cost,” he explained.

He is particularly concerned about the growing number of injuries among elite players. Increasing the number of matches without providing sufficient opportunities for recovery, he argued, could further aggravate the situation and place clubs, coaches and national federations under additional pressure.

“I am not against this idea, but we need to find a balance, because never before have so many of the best volleyball players in the world been injured. The more matches there are, the more often such situations will arise. If we do not give volleyball players the opportunity to rest, coaches, federations, and the clubs themselves will find themselves in a difficult position,” he warned.

Grbić also questioned whether national teams would realistically be able to field their strongest line-ups in every international competition under the proposed system. While FIVB’s ambition is to have the leading players present at all major events, the Serbian coach believes that the accumulated workload could make this increasingly difficult.

“I believe the result will be different from what FIVB expects. The leadership of the world federation wants teams to arrive at every tournament with their strongest squads, but with such a calendar, this will not be possible. I only hope that FIVB will realize this, because the burden on the players is enormous.”

Another major issue concerns coaches who work simultaneously with club teams and national sides. Under the proposed reform, World Championships would be played during the domestic club season, potentially forcing coaches to leave their clubs for extended periods. Grbić believes this could influence the decisions of club executives when appointing coaches.

“If I were in the shoes of club executives, I would think twice about appointing a coach who combines two positions. Because in the middle of the club season, this coach will have to switch to working with the national team for a month and a half. How can this be combined?” he asked.

The issue is particularly relevant in contemporary volleyball, where several prominent coaches hold dual roles. Gianlorenzo Blengini, for example, combines his position as Bulgaria’s national-team head coach with his work at Vero Volley Milano in the Italian women’s championship. His current agreement with the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation runs until 2028, meaning the proposed calendar changes would not directly affect his existing commitment. However, the question could become relevant beyond the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic cycle should he continue in the role.

Other examples include Massimo Botti, who leads Germany while coaching Asseco Resovia in Poland, Daniele Santarelli, who combines the Turkish women’s national team with Conegliano, and Giovanni Guidetti, who coaches Canada while remaining at the helm of Vakıfbank. The potential interruption of club seasons could therefore have implications well beyond the players themselves, affecting the structure and continuity of coaching work across international volleyball.

Grbić believes that any reform of such magnitude should be developed through consultation rather than imposed without a broader discussion involving clubs, national federations, coaches and athletes.

“The new calendar complicates the situation at various levels. I understand FIVB’s idea, but I am a proponent of consultations and discussing its strengths and weaknesses. If the FIVB leadership introduces the calendar without any debate, it will create many problems,” he stated.

The debate is now entering a crucial phase. FIVB has announced that it is preparing a second version of its proposed international calendar following criticism and concerns raised by stakeholders. The final structure of the reform remains unknown, leaving room for adjustments.
What is increasingly clear, however, is that the discussion goes far beyond the dates of individual tournaments. At its core lies a fundamental question about the future of volleyball: how can the sport continue to grow commercially and globally without placing unsustainable demands on the players, disrupting the club ecosystem or compromising the level of competition?

For Nikolov and Grbić, the answer begins with balance, dialogue and a calendar built around the realities of the sport rather than commercial ambitions alone.

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