A new libero system to be tested at the World Grand Champions Cup

The FIVB will test a new libero system during the World Grand Champions Cup to be held in November in Japan.

Each team will have the option of having two liberos with no limits of substitutions among them, to allow coaches to have an alternate for each position.

The decision came after a meeting chaired in Lausanne on the weekend by FIVB Vice-President and CEV President André Meyer. Also in attendance were 1st and 2nd FIVB Executive Vice-Presidents Cristóbal Marte Hoffiz and Theofanis Tsiokris.

The Rules of the Game and Refereeing Commissions were represented by their presidents and secretaries, Alexander Steel, Gavriel Kraus, Mohammed Habib Ali Abdullah, Hassan Ahmed Mohamed, with FIVB Directors Piero Rebaudengo and Helgi Thorsteinsson also on hand.

“It was a very useful meeting,” said André Meyer, “because the rule that is currently in place is not the best solution for Volleyball, but there was not enough time to correct the wording of it before it was released. That’s why some National Federations and Leagues implemented different systems to manage the second libero, which was not good for the image of our sport.

“Now we will have the proper time to test another rule application for the double libero, after which we will seek the approval of the Executive, the Board and the FIVB Congress,” Meyer added. “Another meeting will be called next February to prepare a revised text for the Rules of the Game, taking into consideration all the input from the experience using the system in Japan. If approved, this rule shall be applied to all main national competitions. In the meantime the Confederations will be able to do tests as well.”

The plan is to allow teams to name up to 20 players on their O2 lists (preliminary rosters), with the number being cut to up to 14 players on the O2bis (the roster signed during the preliminary enquiry a day before the event). Each coach can chose to register only 12 players allowed to play each match (including two liberos, one libero or no libero at all), with 2 players sitting in the stands.

The World Grand Champions Cup will be hosted by Japan. The Women’s competition will be played from November 10-15 in Tokyo and Fukuoka, while the Men’s competition is scheduled for November 18-23 in Osaka and Nagoya.

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Japanese players, coaches mixed about new libero rule

The unlimited substitution of liberos rule to be applied at the World Grand Champions Cup in Japan in November has already generated a lot of discussion among coaches, players and fans alike.

Whether the rule sticks and will be applied across the board will depend largely on how well it is utilized and appreciated at the elite double-gender event featuring the world’s best national teams.

Japanese fans are already accustomed to seeing the substitution of liberos following the FIVB rule that allows each team's starting libero to be alternated once per match.

For greater insight into the potentially revolutionary new rule of unlimited substitutions, we thought we'd ask some of the coaches and liberos of Japan for their thoughts on the proposed change. The responses, we discovered, were mixed.

Masayoshi Manabe (Head coach of the Japanese National Women's Team):
"I don't see the necessity of the new rule concerning libero because I don't change liberos many times during the same game. However, if one of the liberos is injured, but can be returned on court after having medical treatment, this rule is quite useful. But I have never encountered such a situation."

Yuko Sano (Japanese National Women's Team libero):
"I don't know because I have not been changed during the game according to this new rule. I think one libero per game is enough."

Tatsuya Ueta (Head coach of the Japanese National Men's Team):
"I welcome the new rule because it means we will be able to use two great liberos on court alternately. Liberos, like other athletes, have ups and downs, so this new rule will give us more flexibility."

Yusuke Inoue (Japanese National Men's Team libero):
"Currently, if a team substitutes their liberos once, the team can't substitute them again, so I think it must be a tough decision for the head coach to substitute the liberos under the current rule. Under the new rule, however, the head coach will be able to substitute the liberos whenever. And the new rule will allow the team to alter the flow of the game by changing the liberos."

Osamu Tanabe (Japanese National Men's Team libero):
"It is very good that a libero will have more chances to participate in a match. However, I think that the libero is not a position to be substituted many times, so even if we have the right to do so on an unlimited basis, the actual substitutions might be only a few times during a match. It might be interesting if one libero can be on court as a libero and the other can be substituted with one of the back players."

If successful, the new rule will be sent to the FIVB executive, Board of Administration and Congress for approval. A meeting will be called next February to prepare a revised text for the Rules of the Game. If approved, the rule will be applied to all main national competitions worldwide.

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