The Namibia Volleyball Federation (NVF) will host the Bank Windhoek-NVF Doc Tournament at the MTC Dome in Swakopmund this weekend in celebration of 40 years of volleyball.

NVF president Hilary Imbuwa in a statement on Tuesday said the tournament was named in tribute to Dr Juergen Munz, affectionately known as Doc, a trailblazer in Namibian volleyball during the early 1970s and 80s, and has garnered significance as a historical cornerstone.

It was started in 1983 by the former South West Africa Volleyball Association (SWAVA).

Imbuwa said the competition highlights the NVF’s unwavering dedication to promoting volleyball in Namibia.

He said the 40th anniversary edition is expected to be a historic occasion, with teams from all over Namibia competing in a sequence of matches that will conclude in a thrilling championship showdown.

Sixteen female and 19 male teams are expected to compete in the tournament.

‘We are thrilled to celebrate this significant milestone in the history of Namibian volleyball. The Doc
Tournament has been instrumental in shaping the volleyball landscape in Namibia, and we look forward to continuing its legacy for many years to come,’ he expressed.

International teams were welcomed in previous editions, but Imbuwa indicated that this year’s absence of foreign teams was due to logistical issues. He expressed optimism that, under the right circumstances, international participation will return in the next edition.

Following the cancellation of the 2020 Doc Tournament due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the 40th anniversary celebration was rescheduled for 2024 instead of 2023.

The tournament is amongst others sponsored by Bank Windhoek, Calvary Technologies, the MTC Dome, OTB Sports and Venus Enterprises.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency