Official press conference before World Championship Opening Match

Warsaw,
Poland, August 29, 2014 - The official press conference before the opening
ceremony and Poland vs. Serbia opening match of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World
Championship Poland 2014 was held today, at the National Stadium in Warsaw.

Aleksandar Boricić – President of
the Serbian Volleyball Federation and FIVB Vice-President: “On behalf of the
International Volleyball Federation and our President Ary Graca I would like to
express to the Polish Volleyball Federation and the organizing committee for
the reception and preparing the biggest event in the history of world
volleyball really big ”thank you”. We have worked together for the last two
years. Poland is a unique country in volleyball world. Your federation’s work
is really professional, your supporters are really well educated and it is something
unique that whenever the national team plays in Poland, it plays at a full
house. Tomorrow we have a historic opening ceremony and a historic day for
volleyball. I think we can start counting the future of volleyball from the 30th
of August – from Warsaw. To play in front of 60 thousand spectators is a
fantastic thing for all volleyball players but I hope that both teams will give
their best for the people in the stadium and all TV viewers, and make it a
fantastic day. I am sure that in the other cities, through the whole
tournament, Polish people will create the same atmosphere and together with
those foreign fans who come to support their teams, they will make this the
best World Championship ever.”

Mirosław Przedpełski – President of
the Polish Volleyball Federation and FIVB Vice-President: “I have waited for
this moment for a couple of years and now I feel very emotional and happy and with
the help of my colleagues [Polish team coach and captain] I may soon be the
happiest man in the world. I am very happy that we managed to do something that
some time ago was just a dream. When I first started talking about organizing a
match on the stadium, most people did not understand. Now we can see it for
ourselves. We are making history. It is a huge thing and I think that
volleyball itself may change a lot from now on, with us having a great part in
it – with our work and commitment to volleyball in Poland.”

Michał Olszewski – Vice-President
of the City of Warsaw: August is a great month for sports fans in Warsaw.
Tomorrow’s match between Poland and Serbia, which inaugurates the FIVB
Volleyball Men’s World Championship is a pinnacle of all events which we had
here this month. It also proves that the National Stadium is a multi-purpose
venue and not simply a football arena. Exactly one week ago we were concluding preparations
for the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial, which gathered such track-and-field stars
as Usain Bolt. We were able to put organize these events not only thanks to the
venue itself but also very good infrastructure.”

Janusz Samel – Director of Sport
and Recreation Bureau of the City of Warsaw: “Just to add one thing - Tomorrow
we are breaking a world record in the number of spectators at a volleyball
match but we are trying to break another one as well. The Ministry of Sport,
together with the City of Warsaw are trying to break the Guinness World Record
in simultaneous volleyball passes, at 18.30, on the day of the match, outside
the arena.”

Igor Kolaković – head coach of
the national team of Serbia: “We are very happy and proud to play this historic
game. The stadium will be very impressive but we have to focus on the court. In
this championship we are not in the first ring of favorites for the medal but
we have huge expectations for this championship. We had very good preparation and
we are really motivated and would like to play on a high level, play our best
volleyball. We will do our best and hope for the best. We cannot promise winning
a medal, but we can promise to play every game on a high level.”

Stephane Antiga – head coach of
the national team of Poland: “It is difficult to say that we will get a medal,
but we are ambitious. From the first day of assembling of this national team we
are working really hard, we are preparing for this World Championship. Finally
it is coming. Of course we are excited and so for us, for our fans, for all
people from the federation, we will do our best. We are ready to fight, so I am
sure this opening game will be great and a historic event in the history of
volleyball. We are very proud to be a part of this show.”

Dargan Stanković – captain of
the national team of Serbia: “We are proud to have the honor to be one of the two
teams who will open this biggest event in volleyball history. Playing in front
of 60,000 people is a great accomplishment for any player, but on the
other hand it will be a game like every other – two teams fight for the points,
for the first victory in this tournament and both of them have strength and
desire to fight for the medals. Our goal is to play every game as the most
important.”
Michał Winiarski – captain of the national
team of Poland: “It is hard to add anything new to what has been said here.
From my and my team’s side I can only say that we have worked very hard and
cannot wait for tomorrow to come and all this to start. We are really curious
and want to feel all the thrill that awaits us tomorrow.”