LAHORE: Pakistan have the chance to qualify for the Olympic volleyball event in London after the International Volleyball Federation included the country in the qualifiers, to be held in Bulgaria from June 8 to 10.

Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) chairman Chaudhry Mohammad Yaqoob told Dawn on Saturday that the national team had left for Bulgaria via Qatar on Saturday.

First, he added, the national team would play three matches against Qatar, starting from Sunday, and then they would leave for Bulgaria to play the qualifying matches.

He said the IVF had selected Pakistan for the qualifiers on the basis of their world ranking, adding the competition in Bulgaria would feature high-profile contestants from Egypt and France besides the hosts.

From Asia, India had also been selected for the qualifiers and they would be playing in Berlin, the PVF official stated.

Yaqoob said top team of the qualifiers would make the London Olympics. —Sports Reporter