FIVB President Fabio Azevedo: Empowering the Global Volleyball Movement

Now over 100 days into his tenure, he has hit the ground running in his mission to empower the Global Volleyball Movement. In this exclusive Q&A with sportanddev.org, Fabio reflects on his first 100 days in office, shares insights on the progress of the FIVB Strategic Vision 2032 and discusses what’s next in volleyball’s global journey. 

Q. Looking back at your first 100 days as FIVB President, what are you most proud of? 

It has certainly been a very busy few months, but in a good way. What I’m most proud of is the team. Presidential transitions naturally bring some changes in how we work, but the team has embraced it all with full energy.

Right after the 39th FIVB World Congress in November 2024, we rolled out a new organisational chart and communicated it clearly to our entire community. The backbone of the FIVB is also incredibly solid with our new Secretary General, Hugh McCutcheon, together with Steve Tutton, our General Sports Director, and Giuseppina Rigamonti, Director of Finance & Administration, managing the overall operations since day one. 

This clarity and the alignment of the team allowed us to keep moving at full speed and continue serving the Global Volleyball Movement. 

From day one, I came with a clear vision - the FIVB Strategic Vision 2032. And what’s been most encouraging is seeing everyone align behind it. We are moving forward, together. “Together as One” is more than just a motto - it’s how we work. One team, one direction, one goal. 

These first 100 days have really been about sharing that vision across the volleyball community, connecting with stakeholders, listening, and making sure we are all working with the same aim in mind. We also held our Commission and Council meetings online, all focused on this vision and the next steps. We’re shifting from a traditional governing body to a global movement - the Global Volleyball Movement. 

Q: Could you outline some of the moments away from the FIVB Headquarters that have stood out to you so far?

I had the privilege of attending the Women in Sports: Creating Pathways Seminar, which the FIVB held in Qatar last December with the support of the Qatar Foundation, FIVB Volleyball Foundation, and Qatar Volleyball Association. The event brought together trailblazing women from across volleyball, sport and society with stories that moved, challenged and inspired. At the FIVB, we are proud that our sport champions gender equality, opening doors, creating pathways and empowering women to lead at every level. This is something I am very passionate about, and there is lots more to come as we continue our work in this area. 

At the same time, we co-organised with the support of Olympic Solidarity the WAVA U20 Women’s Beach Volleyball Championship in Doha as part of the IOC Youth Athlete Development Programme. This was an important milestone - the first-ever women’s age-group beach volleyball competition in the Middle East. It was a powerful moment, and one I hope will inspire a new generation of athletes across the region. 

Another moment that left a deep impression on me was attending the Brahmaputra Volleyball League (BVL) Finals in Assam, India earlier this year. Launched in 2020 by Abhijit Bhattacharya, a former captain of India’s men’s national team, the BVL has grown into one of the largest grassroots community leagues in the world. We are talking about 4,000 children across 144 villages, in one of India’s poorest states, Assam, coming together each year through volleyball. It is so much more than sport. It is a movement. It is a whole community effort.

What struck me most was how this league has sparked real change. They are learning new skills. Broadcasting matches live - yes, live! - across 170 villages, using innovative, low-cost solutions. It started with smartphones on bamboo tripods. Now, they have upgraded to metal ones. Over 500 local people have been trained in everything from event production to digital media.

This is volleyball building skills, strengthening communities and giving hope. That’s the power of sport. That’s the power of volleyball.

Q. How has your leadership style shaped the FIVB’s culture and strategic direction since taking office? 

Having served as FIVB General Director previously, I like to think the team were already familiar with my leadership style. My approach has always been team-oriented and built on consensus - just like volleyball itself. It’s a team sport, and that’s how we work at the FIVB.

I’m a down-to-earth person. Nothing about that has changed since becoming President. I still cycle to the office and take the same transport as everyone else. I believe in staying connected, staying grounded.

The FIVB Strategic Vision 2032 isn’t just my plan - it’s a shared vision, shaped by input from across the Global Volleyball Movement. We built it together, and now we’re moving forward together.

Q. Could you elaborate on the FIVB Strategic Vision 2032? What are the key priorities? 

The FIVB Strategic Vision 2032 is all about taking volleyball around the world to the next level - what we call “FIVB - Phase 3”. 

The Vision 2032 is built on four pillars - Professionalism, Integration, Empowerment and Mass Participation - alongside 15 focal points. These aim to make volleyball more impactful, more inclusive and a true force for positive change in the world.

That means moving from political to professional, integrating all volleyball stakeholders and products worldwide and making the sport more accessible. We are focused on further engaging with our global fan base - that’s 800 million people connected to our sport - and doubling that number in the next Olympic cycles to 1.6 billion! 

My belief is simple: when all volleyball stakeholders grow stronger and more relevant - technically, commercially and socially - the whole ecosystem thrives. At the heart of it, therefore, is empowering National Federations, Zonal Associations and Continental Confederations to improve their products and events and become self-sustainable.

At its core, volleyball represents important values: collaboration, integration, peace and solidarity. And with this Vision, we want to harness that power. We want to grow, together. Together as One.

Q. Where does sustainability fit into this Strategic Vision? 

We recognise our responsibility to protect the environment. This is especially true for beach volleyball as it is so closely connected to nature. 

That is why it is a key priority in the FIVB Strategic Vision 2032. As part of this, we now have a team dedicated to sustainability.

We’re currently developing a dedicated Sustainability Strategy, which we aim to publish this year. It’s taking time because we want it to be meaningful and well thought through - not just words, but real action. There’s a lot that we are working on. This is an important journey, and we’re fully committed to doing it right.

Q. What are some tangible steps the FIVB is taking to empower this Global Volleyball Movement? 

Our empowerment work really cuts across two strands. 

First, our Volleyball Empowerment and Development programme. Since 2017, we’ve invested over 47.5 million USD into 1,383 projects across 205 countries. This has been through coach support, volleyball equipment and knowledge sharing. The impact has been incredible. Now, with Volleyball Empowerment 2.0, we are taking it even further.

Second, there’s the FIVB Volleyball Foundation, launched in May 2024 and led by Dr Ary S. Graça Fᵒ. Its mission is to connect, serve and inspire communities through volleyball. It is about harnessing the power of our sport to improve lives. This ties directly into one of the key areas of our Strategic Vision: social responsibility and mass participation – Volleyball Foundation. 

The Volleyball Foundation is already supporting grassroots initiatives that reflect volleyball’s core values and make the sport more accessible with projects in India (Brahmaputra Volleyball League) and Kenya (Githurai Kimbo Academy).

Meanwhile at Paris 2024, the FIVB and Volleyball Foundation hosted Volleyball Experiences at both the beach and indoor venues. Over 300,000 people took part. Children, families, new fans - all smiling, laughing, playing. That’s what the Global Volleyball Movement is all about.

Q. You are still near the start of an eight-year term. What is your long-term vision for volleyball and the FIVB by the end of this term? 

The long-term vision? Wow… it’s big.

I want volleyball to be more accessible and positively impact more lives, everywhere. I want people to feel connected to this sport, no matter where they are. I said earlier that our goal is to double our global fan base to 1.6 billion. But more than numbers, it is about connection.

Volleyball is built on the values of collaboration, integration, peace and solidarity. And whether through the Volleyball Foundation or through our top international competitions, we want to use those values to improve lives. I’ve seen, firsthand, the joy this sport brings. Everyone deserves to experience that. Whether it’s through watching a match or playing in a community tournament, volleyball should be for all.

This is what the Global Volleyball Movement is about. No borders. No barriers. Just people, united through sport and Together as One.