The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) has confirmed that next year's Beach Volleyball World Championships in Rome, Italy have been postponed to June 2022 in order to avoid a clash with the Tokyo 2020 Olympics that were pushed to 2021.

Following a conscientious evaluation, the FIVB said it had agreed with organizers including the Italian Volleyball Federation and the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) that moving the event was the best course of action.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and the Paralympic Games were postponed by a year in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has brought all of the world's elite sport to a standstill.

Numerous events due to be held in 2021 have had to be moved as a result, with the Beach Volleyball World Championships joining a list which already included the World Athletics Championships.

Although the games have been pushed forward, Foro Italico in Rome, Italy which hosted the 2019 edition of the Beach Volleyball World Tour Finals was maintained as the hosts.

"We believe that rescheduling the 2021 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships was the best solution in light of the postponement of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020," FIVB President Ary Graça said. 

"We are also delighted that this event will remain in Italy, a nation with a proud sporting history. 

"Rome hosted a very successful FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships in 2011, and we are extremely proud to bring this prestigious tournament back to the country. 

"We may have to wait a little longer now to crown our new beach volleyball world champions, but it will undoubtedly be worth it when we witness the greatest players go head to head in 2022."

The President of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) Giovanni Malagò said that they were also in full support of the decision to reschedule the championships to 2022.

"Everything must be perfect for this unique event in Rome while fully respecting all the values that, together with the FIVB, the Italian Volleyball Federation and Sport e Salute, have always been our main objective."

The Italian Volleyball Federation (FIPAV) President Pietro Bruno Cattaneo said:

“The decision to reschedule the Beach Volleyball World Championship for 2022 has been jointly taken together with our partners: FIVB, CONI and Sport e Salute. We truly believe that this is the best possible solution for the good of all: athletes, sector operators and fans who will be in the thousands.”

“The organization of the World Championships demands an extraordinary commitment, and under the present conditions it would not be possible to work safely. This pandemic has changed the lives of every single one of us, but I am sure that we will come back soon to enjoy the unique show granted by the fantastic sport that beach volleyball is.”

The FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships is held every two years and brings together the very best beach volleyball players, battling it out in pursuit of the world title.

The previous edition of the prestigious FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships was hosted in Hamburg, Germany.

Russia’s Oleg Stoyanovskiy and Viacheslav Krasilnikov claim men’s gold, whilst Melissa Humana-Paredes and Sarah Pavan took home Canada’s first women’s world title.