China’s women’s volleyball team heads into the Hong Kong leg of the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Nations League next week under intense scrutiny from fans and experts. The team faces the daunting possibility of failing to qualify for the Olympics for the first time in 40 years.
The Hong Kong Coliseum will host the final round of pool fixtures starting next Tuesday. China’s recent performance in Macau, where they lost two out of four games, including a crucial match against Japan and a 3-0 defeat to Italy, has sparked widespread criticism. The losses have led to calls for the dismissal of head coach Cai Bin.
After the defeat to Italy, fans gathered around the team bus demanding Cai’s resignation. Former national team captain Hui Ruoqi, who won gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics, questioned the team’s tactics and management on Chinese social media platform Weibo. Hui emphasized the importance of precise positioning, clear division of responsibilities, and efficient cooperation in modern volleyball.
One controversial decision that has baffled many fans is the limited playtime for superstar spiker Zhu Ting. Despite starting and scoring 17 points in the third game against Thailand, Zhu was sidelined for most of the matches against the Netherlands, Japan, and Italy. Outside hitter Li Yingying, when asked about Zhu’s absence, deferred the question to coach Cai, who has yet to publicly address the issue.
The Hong Kong leg concludes on June 16, with the top seven teams joining hosts Thailand for the finals in Bangkok. While winning the Nations League does not grant direct Olympic qualification, it offers teams a chance to improve their world rankings, which determine Olympic berths.
France, the Dominican Republic, Serbia, Turkey, Brazil, the United States, and Poland have already secured their spots for Paris. The remaining five berths will be awarded to the highest-ranked teams after the competition ends on June 23, ensuring representation from each continent.
Currently, Japan has overtaken China as the fifth-best team globally. The final three spots are held by Italy, China, and the Netherlands. Canada remains a potential threat, needing a 38.83-point swing to overtake China. Although a significant shift, recent results, such as the Dominican Republic’s performance in Macau, show it is not impossible.
In Hong Kong, China will face Bulgaria and Germany in their opening games, both of which are expected victories. They will conclude their fixtures against world No. 1 Turkey and world No. 3 Poland, crucial matches that will test their resilience and determine their Olympic fate.
READ MORE: