Mazzanti’s Olympic plans on hold
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| Mazzanti is having to be patient till his team can play again |
Rome, Italy, April 17, 2020 – Italy women’s coach Davide Mazzanti has ruled out a quick return to action for him and his players who are currently on lockdown at home due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Italy were expected to be among the favourites to win a medal at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and FIVB Volleyball Nations League having won silver at the Japan 2018 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship and bronze at the 2019 CEV European Championship.
“Right now, we need to take the necessary time and then when the right moment arrives, we will relight the Olympic flame,” Mazzanti told Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“The world should stop for as long as needed. I don’t know how long that will be, but until the danger has passed and we can return to a normal life there is no point in making plans.”
With competition suspended the 43-year-old is continuing to work hard and is analysing future opponents and working with his coaching team on-line.
Italy have been placed in Pool B at Tokyo 2020 and will face Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic champions China, who also won bronze at the Japan 2018 FIVB Volleyball World Championship and the 2018 and 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League.
They also take on Rio 2016 bronze medallists USA, who won the VNL in 2018 and 2019, and Turkey who won silver at the 2018 VNL and 2019 CEV European Championship. Russia and Argentina complete the six-team pool.
If Italy don’t play any matches this year it will be the first time since 1947 that the women’s team has gone through the year without playing a match.
Nonetheless Mazzanti is confident that even a year off will benefit his youthful charges.
They also have a strong crop coming through, players who won silver at the Mexico 2019 FIVB Volleyball U20 Women’s World Championship and the Egypt 2019 FIVB Volleyball U18 Girl’s World Championship.
“For a young team such as Italy it will be another year of experience and then we will see what happens,” he said.
“Obviously, we won’t know about anything until we come out of this situation. There are other international tournaments that we will play but for now we don’t when we can organise them.”
Source: Volley - fivb.org
