The Phnom Penh Municipal Administration Bodyguard Command (in red) and the Intervention Division 3 Club compete in an event organised by the Volleyball Federation of Cambodia. SUPPLIED
The five biggest volleyball clubs in Cambodia – Visakha, Ministry of Interior, Phnom Penh Municipal Administration Bodyguard Command, and the Intervention Division 3 Club – will not be permitted to field their first teams in the 2022 Sar Kheng Cup. They may enter their B teams.
Ten Lon, chairman of the organising sub-committee of the Volleyball Federation of Cambodia, explained the decision, saying that the federation’s goal was to identify new talent.
“According to our plan, after the Sar Kheng Cup competition is decided, the federation will organise the Hun Sen Cup. The above five teams have already secured their places and are now waiting for their opponents. The teams who rank 1st to 7th in the Sar Kheng Cup will have a shot at the country’s strongest five clubs,” he said.
“The ‘big five’ are allowed to field their reserve teams, but they must list which of the two teams each member of the club will play for, ahead of both competitions,” he added.
He made the remarks while overseeing the June 2 group draw at Visakha Volleyball Stadium. Twenty-one teams from all over the Kingdom will join the Sar Kheng Cup.
The teams are divided into four groups which will compete in a rotation format from June 8-21. The first and second placed teams in each group will play on June 22, with the semi-finals decided the following day. The final will be held on June 26.
Group A consists of Pailin; Takeo Provincial Police Commissariat; Mondulkiri Provincial Police Commissariat; Kratie Provincial Police Commissariat; Kampong Speu; and Achar Lak (Kampong Thom) while Group B features Svay Rieng, Rithy Sen (Kampong Chhnang), Ta Dy of Preah Vihear province, Kon Neak Oddar (Oddar Meanchey) and Battambang Provincial Police Commissariat.
Group C consists of Kep Provincial Police Commissariat; Preah Sihanoukville Provincial Police Commissariat; Police Commissariat Of Banteay Meanchey Province, Siem Reap and Sekong (Stung Treng) while Police Commissariat Of Tbong Khmum Province, the Phnom Penh Municipal Administration (B), Visakha (B), Police Commissariat Of Kampong Cham Province and Police Commissariat Of Prey Veng Province were drawn in Group D.
Aing Serey Piseth, secretary-general of the Volleyball Federation of Cambodia, said: “The Sar Kheng Cup is one of the ways we will search for new blood for the national team. As you know we are hosting the 2023 SEA Games, but even beyond that, we will need depth in our pool of players.”
“I would like to thank the leaders of the clubs, associations and provinces for joining and competing in the Sar Kheng Cup. I would like to confirm that the Volleyball Federation of Cambodia will organise this event every year from now on. This year, the winning team will bring home a large trophy and a bonus of 20 million riel,” he added.
