Gibraltar Volleyball represented at 47th CEV General Assembly in Milan

The Gibraltar Volleyball Association is proud to be represented at the General Assembly in Milan by our Vice President, Genevieve Alecio, and President, Emma Labrador.
Emma, a lawyer by profession and a passionate Volleyball / Beach Volleyball player in her free time, has been the President of the Gibraltar Volleyball Association since late 2013.
Labrador joined the CEV Board of Administration and Executive Committee following the XLI CEV General Assembly held in Vienna in October 2020, thus becoming the first person from Gibraltar to achieve this feat. She is currently serving her second term as a Board Member following the XLV CEV General Assembly held in Naples, Italy, in August of 2024.
The 47th CEV General Assembly brought together representatives of 54 National Federations in Milano, with CEV President Roko Sikirić highlighting the progress made by European Volleyball over the past year. Addressing delegates, Sikirić pointed to the success of this year’s EuroVolley competitions, which he said had delivered highly competitive championships, strong television audiences, increased commercial partnerships and significant spectator interest. He also highlighted the launch of the CEV Solidarity Fund, with the first projects already approved to support the development of Volleyball across Europe.
Sikirić acknowledged that there remained areas where the sport could improve, particularly in attracting spectators to matches where the host nation is not involved. He stressed the need for CEV to open new markets, create new revenue sources and reduce the financial burden on National Federations while returning greater value to them. He also said CEV would continue to play an active role in discussions over the future of international Volleyball, including reforms to the FIVB calendar, Constitution and competition structures.
Reflecting on the recent EuroVolley opening in Napoli, where rain interrupted the match before play eventually resumed, Sikirić used the experience as a wider lesson for European Volleyball. He said the sport would inevitably face uncertainty and difficult decisions, but that by continuing to communicate openly, listen to each other and remain united, European Volleyball could overcome the challenges ahead.