Delegates from as many as 51 National Federations with another two represented by proxy have chosen Roko Sikirić as the new CEV President for the 2024-2028 term. The eagerly anticipated elective CEV General Assembly is being held on Saturday, August 24, at the iconic Castel Nuovo in Naples, Italy. 

The former professional player and newly elected CEV President received 36 votes from members of the European Volleyball family, thereby securing majority in the second round and will have the privilege and responsibility of leading European Volleyball for the next four years.

Roko Sikiric, CEV President

“It is a great responsibility to lead the CEV and I feel it towards all stakeholders, National Federations, clubs, players – I sincerely thank you for your support and promise I will give my best as I did throughout this campaign,” the newly elected President said after acknowledging the achievements of the previous leadership under Aleksandar Boričić.

He subsequently announced the names of those he had chosen to join him as members of the CEV Board of Administration, all young leaders yet with a solid experience in the governance of Volleyball: Clodagh Nic Canna (Ireland), Ivan Knezevic (Serbia) and Leonel Salgueiro (Portugal). The proposal was overwhelmingly ratified by the General Assembly.

New CEV Board of Administration, photo: CEV

Six more members of the CEV Board of Administration were elected following the first round of votes cast specifically for this body. These are – in alphabetical order – Lubomir Ganev (Bulgaria), Guy Juwet (Belgium), Emma Labrador (Gibraltar), Marek Pakosta (Czechia), Eric Tanguy (France) and Arturs Vitkovskis (Latvia). A subsequent second round did define the remaining eight members of the CEV Board of Administration as follows (names are always listed in alphabetical order): Eric Adler (Denmark), Alisa Cesnuleviciute (Lithuania), Margaret Ann Fleming (Scotland), Jalil Jafarov (Azerbaijan), Petar Jovanovski (North Macedonia), Marek Rojko (Slovakia), Metod Ropret (Slovenia), and Annika Sjöberg (Sweden). This means that the highest decision-making body in European Volleyball will comprise a record number – five – of female members.

Following the first meeting of the new CEV Board of Administration, CEV President Sikirić announced the names of those due to compose the CEV Executive Committee: First Vice-President Ivan Knezevic (Serbia), Second Vice-President Eric Tanguy (France), Vice-President and Treasurer Guy Juwet (Belgium), Vice-President in charge of Administrative Affairs Leonel Salgueiro (Portugal), plus Vice-Presidents Clodagh Nic Canna (Ireland), Marek Rojko (Slovakia), Metod Ropret (Slovenia), and Annika Sjöberg (Sweden).

Outgoing CEV President Aleksandar Boricic and newly elected CEV President Roko Sikiric

Moreover, the delegates confirmed by acclamation the names of the six people standing for election to join the CEV Legal Chamber: Ismail Coskun (Türkiye), Déborah Frey (Switzerland), Marek Krupski (Poland), Dragan Milovanovic (Serbia), Laurent Moreuil (France), and Giulia Vigna (Italy). The same applies to the internal auditors Sini Häkkinen (Finland) and Stojan Jordanov (North Macedonia) – plus reserve Ceren Nur Tutal (Türkiye).

Later in the afternoon, the delegates cast their ballots to define the CEV representatives in the FIVB Board of Administration for the 2024-2028 term. Together with the newly elected CEV President, Roko Sikirić, the eight FIVB Board of Administration members from Europe are (in alphabetical order) Margaret Ann Fleming (Scotland), Lubomir Ganev (Bulgaria), Gernot Leitner (Austria), Djula Mester (Serbia), Marek Pakosta (Czechia), Annie Peytavin (France), Marek Rojko (Slovakia) and Leonel Salgueiro (Portugal). They are joined by Emma Labrador of Gibraltar to fill in the gender balance position.