THE FEDERATION INTERNATIONALE DE VOLLEYBALL (FIVB), the global governing body for volleyball, has revoked the recognition of the Volleyball Federation of India (VFI) with immediate effect. The decision, announced on April 21–22, 2026, follows serious concerns over governance, administration, and athlete welfare within the Indian federation.
The key reason behind the decision include governance and administrative failures. The FIVB cited breaches of “legal and administrative requirements” by the VFI’s interim leadership as the primary reason for the drastic action. The world body has stated that the federation failed to comply with its regulations under specific governance clauses with concerns on lack of proper governance structures, mon-alignment with international statutes, and administrative inefficiencies. These issues led the FIVB Board of Administration to conclude that the federation was not meeting required standards.
The decision came days after a public fallout involving players, which exposed deeper systemic issues. Two senior players withdrew from the national camp with complaints on “poor and unscientific facilities”, and alleged bias and politics in team selection. These incidents highlighted long-standing dissatisfaction among athletes and intensified scrutiny of the federation.
The VFI has been under persistent administrative turmoil and has faced governance disputes and compliance issues for years. It has been run by an interim body since 2025 and earlier, it was suspended for not complying with India’s National Sports Code. Additionally, a joint FIVB–IOA panel had recently criticised the federation’s functioning, citing poor management affecting national team preparation.
To avoid disruption to the sport, FIVB has transferred administrative control to a Steering Committee which includes representatives from FIVB and officials from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
