After Rabita Azerrail joins the CEV Champions league

Rabita and Azerrail will represent Azerbaijan in the Champions League

The European volleyball confederation, CEV, has determined the list of participants for the 2011-12 edition of the CEV Champions League.

Azerbaijan received two spots in the competition, that were awarded to the last Champions League finalist and 2010-11 Azerbaijani champion Rabita Baku and to the GM Challenge Cup winner and Azerbaijani championship runner-up Azerrail.

Despite the fact that the current country ranking does not allow direct participation of Azerbaijani clubs in the Champions League, Rabita Baku and Azerrail received "wild cards" from the CEV.

Complete list of teams for the 2011-12 Champions League:

Scavolini Pesaro, Villa Cortese, Volley Bergamo (all Italy), Fenerbahce-Acibadem, Vakifbank, Eczacibasi (all Turkey), Rabita Baku, Azerrail (both Azerbaijan), Atom Trefl, Bank BPS Fakro (both Poland), RC Cannes, ASPTT Mulhouse (both France), Dinamo Kazan, Dinamo Moscow (both Russia), SC Schweriner, SC Dresdner (both Germany), Modranska Prostejov (Czech Republic), 2004 Tomis Constanta (Romania), Crvena Zvezda (Serbia), Volero Zurich (Switzerland).

Ativi and Kulikova signed for Severstal

Olga Ativi Natalia Kulikova Outside hitters Olga Tocko Ativi and Natalia Kulikova signed one-year contracts with Severstal Cherepovec, new member of the Russian Superleague. In the previous season Olga Tocko Ativi was a member of Rabita Baku from Azerbaijan, with which she won Azerbaijani Championship and silver medal in CEV Champions league. In the season 2010/11 Natalia Kulikova was a member of Turkish team Besiktas from Istanbul.

Dobriana Rabadzhieva signed for Rabita Baku

Bulgarian outside hitter, and a member of SB Community agency - Dobriana Rabadzhieva, signed one year contract with Azerbaijani Champion Rabita Baku. In the previous season Dobriana was a member of Italian team Spes Conegliano. Despite successful season in Italy such a good offer from Rabita was hard to refuse, therefore she decided to move to Azerbaijan. "I want to thank my Agency, as well as Rabita for giving me the opportunity to become a member of such a great team, with star players like Mammadova, Osmokrovic, Glass and Golubovic. I hope to justify their confidence." - said Rabadzhieva.

Jana Matiasovska - Aghayeva in Azerbaijani National team

Slovakian opposite-hitter Jana Matiasovka who came to Azerrail from Russian Uralochka Yekaterinburg after playing two years under legendary Karpol`s coaching system is a new member of Azerbaijani Women`s National team.

Jana Matiasovska (198 cm, 1987) will be avaliable for Faig Garayev`s team after 2 years participation in Azeri league, as FIVB rules make that necessary for a naturalized player.

She will wear uniform of Azeri National team under surname Aghayeva.

Jana Aghayeva played in USA, Russian Uralochka before coming in Azerbaijan. Last season she played for Azerrail Baku and won European Challenge Cup and Azerbaijani Super league Silver medal. In Russian Uralochka she became a bronze medalist and fourth place ranked team of the Russian league respectively in 2008/09 and 2009/10 years.

We want to greet Jana and show our happiness for her joining Azerbaijani Volleyball family. We wish her many many sweet victories in the squad of our first team.

Welcome Jana Aghayeva!

Azərbaycan voleybol ailəsinə xoş gəldin, Jana!

Azerrail keeps leaders

The last Challenge Cup winner and Silver medalist Azerrail Baku which will take a part in European CEV Cup kept its leader players for next season.

Thailandese great setter Tomkom Nootsara, Brazilian experienced universal player Elisangela Pereira de Souza-Paulino and American National team captain,middle-blocker Jennifer Joines-Tamas renewed their contract with the club.

First BOMB by Rabita Baku: Natasa Osmokrovic signed

Famous Croatian outside hitter Natasa Osmokrovic is a new member of Azerbaijani Champion Rabita Baku where she will join other players Natalya Mammadova, Silvija Popovic, Natasa Krsmanovic, Mira Golubovic, Iryna Zhukova and Kimberly Glass.

Intermediary in the contract signing was the agency SB Community. Natasa Osmokrovic was born on May 27th 1976 in Croatia. In her highly successful career she was a member of Mladost Zagreb, Hisamitsu Springs and Ito Yokado from Japan, Osasco and Vasco da Gama from Brasil, Italian clubs Volley Napoli, Reggio Calabria, Asystel Novara, Chieri and Terra Sarda Tortoli. Since 2009. she played for the Turkish team Fenerbahce Istanbul, this year's Turkish Champion and CEV Champions league bronze medal winner. Rabita expects great achievements for the next season , to win National Championship and Cup, but also in the CEV Champions league to go as far as the Final Four.

Organizers of Continental Qualification are determined

2012 Olympic Games - European Qualification

Luxembourg, May 11, 2011. After thoroughly going through the files worked out by the applicants, the CEV is pleased to confirm that the organization of the Continental Qualification Tournaments for the 2012 Olympics in London was assigned to Turkey (women) and Bulgaria (men). The competition will run through May 1-6 for the ladies while the men will test out their skills a week later, playing to achieve their Olympic dream from May 8-13. Both tournaments will be joined by a total of 8 teams subdivided into two groups of 4 for the preliminary phase, followed by crossed semifinals and the final games. The winners of these Continental Qualification Tournaments – whose venues are still to be confirmed - will automatically qualify for the 2012 London Olympics.
The Continental phase will be preceded by pre-qualification tournaments that are set to take place in November 2011, with three events for men and women apiece. The ladies will be playing their pre-qualification round through November 8-13 while the men are expected to battle for making it to the next phase a couple of weeks later (November 22-27).