New Rules for Libero

Lausanne, Switzerland, December 9, 2010 - Libero-for-Libero replacements will be allowed in all FIVB competitions as of January 1, 2011 following the unanimous decision made at the 2010 FIVB Congress in Rome from September 9-10.Currently, the Acting Libero can be exchanged for the reserve Libero only once per match. However, this has limited the use of a second Libero, teams preferring instead to use 11 regular players and only one Libero or specialist defensive player. The new freedom will allow teams to replace the Libero with a second Libero – or with a regular replacement player – as often as is deemed necessary by the coach. This gives an incentive to the team to use a second Libero. All replacements are to be done without formality through the Libero Replacement Zone, which is roughly level with the team bench.A further freedom has been granted to allow the coach to keep their best team on court and to maintain the spectacle for the viewing public: should a team with a single Libero declare the Libero "unable to play", a regular player can be converted or "re-designated" as a new Libero. Illness or injury now no longer feature as reasons for re-designation; being declared unable to play by the team is the only reason now needed for this process.These new rules were presented to the Congress as a working document within Rule 19. The Rules of the Game Commission will publish a definitive wording on the FIVB website showing the whole of Rule 19 prior to official implementation.