Germany and China had been scheduled to play on Thursday (June 23), but the Germans refused, leading to the International Volleyball Federation awarding China a straight-sets walkover win.

The German Volleyball Federation (DVV) said 21 members of China's delegation had tested positive for the virus five days earlier, which led to China forfeiting their game against France on June 22.

Organisers of the VNL round in Quezon City in the Philippines followed local coronavirus rules and China's players were cleared to leave isolation in time to play Germany.

When a German request to the International Volleyball Federation for China's players to take fresh coronavirus tests was ignored, the DVV pulled its team out of the match on health grounds.

China's walkover win represents just their second victory of this season's VNL.

The Chinese went on to lose to Argentina and Italy in Quezon City.

France had the best time at the Filipino venue, also beating Germany, Japan and The Netherlands while dropping only one set.

With seven wins from eight games, France are top of the overall VNL standings.

Perhaps the pick of the games in Quezon City was Japan's 25-20, 21-25, 24-26, 25-19, 15-13 triumph versus Italy.

Games were also played in Bulgarian capital Sofia this week, with world champions Poland picking up four wins from four.

Poland beat Canada and Australia in straight sets, Brazil in four sets and then today overcame the United States in four.

The Poles came from behind to seal a 21-15, 25-23, 26-24, 25-22 win in a high-class match.

The US had led the VNL after week one, while Poland now trail France only on set and point ratio.

Osaka in Japan and Gdańsk in Poland are scheduled to stage the third week of this year's VNL, beginning on July 5.