Algeria to host women’s U-18 and U-23 African Nations Volleyball Championships

The Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) has announced Algeria as the host of the 2014 Girls’ U-18 African Nations Championship and the inaugural Women’s U-23 African Nations Championship.

According to a statement from CAVB on Wednesday, both events will hold from Sept. 5 to Sept. 15.

“The new women’s under-23 competition will be organised alongside the girls’ under-18 African Nations Championship, and the under-23 competition will feature players born on Jan. 1, 1993 or after.

“The tournament, which is being organised for the first time, follows on from the first edition of the Federation of International Volleyball (FIVB) U-23 World Championships in Mexico in 2013.

“Algeria and Kenya were positioned to act as the African representatives at that competition, based on the world ranking, but Algeria withdrew,’’ it said.

All African national volleyball federations are expected to register for the U-23 African Nations Championship by the July 31 deadline.

“The winners and runners-up will represent Africa at the FIVB Volleyball Women’s U-23 World Championship in 2015,’’ the statement added.

It further said the 2014 Girls’ U-18 African Nations Championship on its part would act as a qualifier for the 2015 FIVB Volleyball Girls’ U-18 World Championship.

Players eligible to participate in this competition must have been born on Jan. 1, 1998 or later.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Egypt are the defending champions of the U-18 Championship after defeating Tunisia in the final of the 2013 edition in Cairo. (NAN).