Graça attended the lecture just hours before today's Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics and outlined the FIVB's corporate governance principles and development strategy.

He also held a question and answer session with the 27 students from different 14 countries, including Poland's Olympic gold medal winning swimmer Otylia Jedrzejczak, studying on the inaugural Master in Sport Administration (MSA) course at RIOU, one of the legacy projects of Sochi 2014.

Graça covered topics including the innovation and entertainment expansion taking place at the FIVB, how the world governing body is embracing changes in sports industry technology, and the ways in which this can benefit the wider Olympic Movement.

He told the students the FIVB aims to continue taking a central role in the Olympic Movement with thought leadership and best practice and his attendance in Sochi is part of the governing body's strategy to attend as many Olympic events as possible in 2014, it claims.

FIVB President Dr Ary S. Graça addressing students at the Russian International Olympic University ahead of the Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremony ©FIVB



The Braziliana, who replaced China's Jizhong Wei as FIVB President in September 2012, said: "As President of an International Federation, it is my role to help ensure the next generation, the sport leaders of tomorrow, receive the best possible education.

"I was honoured to share my knowledge, experience and opinions with the MSA students today, and it was a privilege to be invited by Professor [Lev] Belousov, RIOU's Rector, to their state-of-the-art campus in the centre of Sochi.

"RIOU has a key role to play in shaping the legacy of the Sochi 2014 Games, and the FIVB is looking forward to future collaboration between our two sporting establishments."

Graça follows on from a number of high profile individuals who have given guest lectures at RIOU in recent months, including International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, European Olympic Committee (EOC) chief Pat Hickey, International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) head René Fasel and Sochi 2014 chief executive Dmitry Chernyshenko.

RIOU was established in 2009 as a part of the Sochi 2014 legacy plans and its main headquarters has relocated to Sochi from Moscow after Russian President Vladimir Putin officially opened the  the $500 million (£313 million/€374 million) RIOU Sochi campus last September.

The RIOU has been opened as part of the Sochi 2014 Winter Games legacy ©Sochi 2014



"We are delighted that President Graça has joined us today for a presentation and a Q&A session with our MSA students," said Belousov.

"As the students are now halfway through their course, they are very well informed about the industry, and the Q&A has been a great opportunity for them to test what they have learnt with President Graça.

"We are grateful to President Graça for his honest and professional answers.

"His participation, as an international sport leader, has been very valuable to us.

"I have no doubt that, under the direction of President Graça, volleyball has an exciting and innovative future ahead."

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