Dr. Rubén Acosta, FIVB President, and Mr. Jizhong Wei, who will become the new FIVB President on August 24

Beijing, August 22, 2008 - Dr. Rubén Acosta will officially transfer the FIVB presidency to Mr. Jizhong Wei at a special Handover Ceremony in Beijing on Sunday 24 August after 24 years of unparalleled success as leader of Volleyball's world governing body. President Acosta will formally address invited distinguished guests and media from around the world on the final day of the Olympic Games at the Beijing Institute of Technology (second Volleyball venue) at 3:00 p.m., after the Men's Gold Medal match which will take place at Capital Indoor Stadium at 12:00.

Dr. Acosta made official his previously announced retirement at the end of the 31st FIVB World Congress in June in Dubai, with the Congress unanimously electing FIVB First Executive Vice President Wei as incoming President. Mr. Wei will be President until elections in 2012. The FIVB Congress in Dubai approved the Executive Committee proposal to invite Dr. Acosta to become FIVB Honorary Life President and to continue guide the organisation, with the Congress approving the proposal by acclamation.

Dr. Acosta was elected President of the FIVB for the first time at the 19th FIVB World Congress in Long Beach, California, USA, in 1984, taking over from founding President Paul Libaud. As Volleyball's ambassador, President Acosta tirelessly promoted the sport worldwide and oversaw the spectacular development of Volleyball into the success story it is today, changing the face of the game to attract fans, sponsors and television through innovative management, creation of events and rule changes.

Part of Dr. Acosta's legacy is handing over to Wei the largest sporting federation in the world in terms of Members, increasing the number of affiliated National Federations from 154 to 220. The institution enjoys solid financial health, which guarantees its complete independence. It has an efficient administrative structure, training and development centres all over the world and a programme of high quality sports competitions. Moreover, Volleyball and Beach Volleyball feature among the main disciplines of the Olympic programme.

President Acosta's crowning achievement was in realising his and wife Malú Acosta's dream of creating a fitting home for Volleyball's future generations. The result of their endeavour was the creation of "Château Les Tourelles," FIVB's stunning new headquarters on the banks of Lac Lèman in Lausanne, Switzerland.