The participants of the Special Olympics Unified Volleyball Tournament 2014
Warsaw, Poland, September 8, 2014 - The FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship provides opportunities to build momentum around the sport and the Special Olympics Unified Volleyball Tournament 2014, which took place in Warsaw from August 27–29, saw participants Germany, Serbia, Poland and USA receive awards just before the World Championship's Opening Ceremony and Match at the Polish capital's National Stadium.
The joy of the participants and the opportunity to make new friends were at least as important as the tournament's final scores, but Team Serbia, Team Germany, Team Poland and Team USA were given another opportunity to celebrate when they were invited on court just before the Opening Ceremony of the Men's World Championship - in front of an estimated 16,000 spectators. FIVB Honorary Life President Mr Jizhong Wei and Polish Volleyball Federation President Mr Miroslaw Przedpelski presented each team with awards and with signed World Championship balls.
The balls were signed by volleyball legends and Special Olympics Ambassadors Pawel Papke and Sebastian Swiderski. The occasion was a fitting end to a successful tournament, and a celebration of the efforts made by event organisers Special Olympics Poland, who saw the Special Olympics logo displayed on the stadium monitors during the ceremony, just minutes ahead of the World Championship's Opening Match.