Volleyball, 4 Italians refuse to be called up for the Nation League. Velasco: “Whoever gives up now is out”

Rome, 6 May 2025 - Julio Velasco he doesn't mince his words. "Pietrini, Chirichella, Bonifacio and Lubian have refused the call is preferably used for Nations League 2025” said the coach of the Italian women's volleyball team. “I understand their motivations, I accept them and I respect them” but “the blue jersey is not a club, it is special. No one should think they can decide every year whether or not to come to the national team. For me the door is almost closed. A no is always a no. It's one thing to say: I have a problem and as soon as I solve it I'll be there. It's another thing to say: I'll take a summer”. 

The refusal of the four players did not go down well with Velasco: "They must understand that the National it's not a place you enter depending on the moment – ​​continues Velasco –. We can understand particular moments, but it's not like the year of theOlympiad and you say 'I'm here', because you'll find a coach who will say 'I'm not'".

Waste 

Among 30 summoned the opposite Paola Egonu and Ekaterina Antropova, the setter Alessia Orro, the spiker Miriam Sylla, the free Monica De Gennaro, the power plants Sarah Drive e Anna Danes. "Bossetti - said Velasco - I didn't call her up, I take responsibility. Some changes are needed. It's a role in which we need to launch a player who can make us take a step forward". Instead "not to name names Petrini, Chirichella, Bonifacio, Lubian "There were four refusals on their part."

The list of those called up 

Setters: Jennifer Boldini, Carlotta Cambi, Chidera Blessins Eze, Rachele Morello, Alessia Orro. Spikers: Alice Degradi, Gaia Giovannini, Alice Nardo, Stella Nervini, Loveth Omoruyi, Rebecca Piva, Myriam Sylla, Alice Tanase. Middle hitters: Anna Danesi, Sarah Fahr, Anna Gray, Matilde Munarini, Linda Nwakalor, Benedetta Sartori, Federica Squarcini. Opposites: Merit Adigwe, Ekaterina Antropova, Paola Egonu, Giorgia Frosini, Adhuoljok Malual. Liberos: Martina Armini, Monica De Gennaro, Eleonora Fersino, Ilenia Moro, Sara Panetoni.

Nation League Dates

The Italian Olympic champions and holders of the trophy will play in the first week (4-8 June 2025) at Rio de Janeiro, while from 18 to 25 June in Hong Kong, to then close the preliminary phase to Apeldoorn (July 9-13).