Ary Graça said "beach volleyball has the huge potential to develop and grow in the Maldives" ©Getty Images

International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) President Ary Graça has met with senior representatives from the Maldives Olympic Committee (MOC) and the Government to discuss the development of beach volleyball in the country.

MOC President Mohamed Abdul Sattar and secretary general Thamooh Ahmed Saeed were present and were informed by Graça of avenues of support for athlete development programmes, including the International Olympic Committee Olympic Solidarity scheme.

The FIVB President expressed confidence that beach volleyball can expand and become more popular in the Maldives.

"Beach volleyball has the huge potential to develop and grow in the Maldives," Graça said.

"However, for beach volleyball to truly flourish at a high level will require great teamwork and cooperation between the Maldives Government, Maldives Olympic Committee and Volleyball Association of Maldives.

"By working as a united team, I have no doubt that the Maldives will begin to achieve great results in beach volleyball as together they are the perfect fit.

Maldives ranked 20th at the men's tournament at the Asian Games in 2018 ©Getty Images
Maldives ranked 20th at the men's tournament at the Asian Games in 2018 ©Getty Images

"And I believe that, through hard work, the Maldives can become a perfect showcase of how a smaller island can develop volleyball to a high international standard."

Sattar is looking forward to working with the FIVB to help promote volleyball in the Maldives.

Graça reiterated the FIVB's support for the Volleyball Association of Maldives through the international governing body's Volleyball Empowerment initiative when he convened with the country's Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment Ahmed Mahloof, who welcomed the gender-equal and easily accessible nature of the sport.

The possibility of the Maldives hosting events on the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour in the future was also on the agenda when Graça met Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation managing director Thoyyib Mohamed.

"Hosting a world-class beach volleyball in the Maldives would be the perfect opportunity to showcase the best of the sport alongside the authentic, traditional culture of the island," the FIVB President commented.

Maldives' men's team ranked 20th in the tournament at the Jakarta-Palembang 2018 Asian Games, while Mohamed Ahmed Asfag Adam and Sajid Ismail Shiunaz Abdul Waahid represented the country in the men's beach volleyball.

Sattar was elected as the MOC's President at its Extraordinary General Assembly in June.