FIVB rules make it impossible to challenge president

In a letter to the FIVB, the IOC and 218 national volleyball federations, Jean-Pierre Seppey has announced his intentions to stand as president of the International Volleyball Federation.

But the reaction from FIVB has been swift. On the FIVB website and in letters to national volleyball federations, the incumbent FIVB president Ruben Acosta quotes a number of regulations in the FIVB Constitution which seems to preclude Jean-Pierre Seppey's candidature.

• Only members of the FIVB Board of Administration are eligible to become president. (article 2.3.6.3) Currently, Jean-Pierre Seppey is not a member of the FIVB Board of Administration 
  
  
• Candidatures for the Board and the Presidency shall be submitted by a national federation (articles 2.3.6.2 and 2.3.6.3)  Jean-Pierre Seppey has submitted his own declaration for election which does not contain any endorsements from a national federation.
  
  
• Candidatures require the approval of the Board, prior to submission to the Congress (article 2.3.6.3)  

What is required to gain the approval of the Board is laid out in the candidature form on the FIVB website.

The 11 so-called "Legal prerequisites for new candidates to the FIVB presidency" demand that candidates must

1. Be a an elected and active member of the FIVB Board of Administration and never have been suspended
   
   
2. Have been FIVB Board member without interruption during the eight years prior to his/her candidacy
   
   
3. Be a member deeply and constantly involved in FIVB activities with a keen regard for the FIVB organisation
   
   
4. Have had a constant involvement in FIVB activities and competitions during the 10 years prior to his/her candidacy
   
   
5. Show an activity full of contributions to volleyball in his/her actual involvement with the FIVB
   
   
6. Have attended and participated in no less than 5 FIVB World Congresses prior to his/her candidacy
   
   
7. Have been involved with his/her national federation in the organisation of at least one major FIVB World Competition, i.e. World Championship of any category, World League or Olympic Games
   
   
8. Have a rigorous experience as Control Committee memeber in no less than 5 FIVB World Championships of any category, World Cups or Olympic Games
   
   
9. Have a professional proficiency and extensive experience in Finances, Legal and Marketing & TV Affairs, enough to maintain constant growth of volleyball and the FIVB
   
   
10. Have always shown full respect towards the FIVB regulations, particularly the code of Conduct, and to have demonstrated solidarity and loyalty to the implementation of FIVB decisions and programmes
    
    
11. To speak fluent English, and another of the FIVB working languages i.e. French and/or Spanish 

It is a tall list by any one's standards and one that narrows the field of potential candidates to almost non-existent. It also precludes anyone from outside the immediate FIVB circles to seek election.

The rules for Ruben Acosta are a little bit different. As outgoing president he is automatically eligible to be re-elected to the Presidency. Acosta announced his intention to seek re-election as far back as August 2004.