Olympic champion Bas van de Goor takes centre stage at EuroBeachVolley

Beach Volleyball fans following the opening matches of the CEV EuroBeachVolley 2024 in Apeldoorn were welcomed by a familiar face – former Dutch Volleyball star and 1996 Olympic champion Bas van de Goor, who plays the highly ceremonial, yet important role of Tournament Director. 

Bas is very familiar with the tasks and responsibilities that go with this position. His first stint as Tournament Director of a major international sporting event came in 2013 when The Hague played host to a FIVB World Tour Grand Slam. He repeated the same experience a year later, before the role was further developed in 2015 when the Dutch Volleyball Federation (Nevobo) delivered a historic Beach Volleyball World Championships in a variety of cities across the country. 

Even though Bas never played competitive Beach Volleyball throughout his illustrious career, he obviously knows very well what elite sport is all about to the point that for the past six years he has been the chairperson of a jury that helps identify the top athletes and teams awarded in the Netherlands at the end of each calendar year. “I feel myself quite at ease when performing this role and enjoy talking to people, sponsors and partners so that they can have a better understanding of what happens behind the scenes and what it takes to deliver an event of this magnitude,” Bas says. 

On Tuesday night, he addressed a full stadium in Apeldoorn shortly before the matchup involving home stars Katja Stam and Raïsa Schoon versus Ukraine’s Maryna Hladun and Tetiana Lazarenko. “The top players in Europe have travelled to the Netherlands right after competing at the Paris 2024 Olympics and at the feet of the Eiffel Tower, a truly iconic venue, to play for the European crown,” he said. It is indeed very special that EuroBeachVolley takes place only a few days after the end of the Olympics. “Tickets are still available, but you shall hurry up if you wish to enjoy Beach Volleyball of the finest level once more,” he said before acknowledging the importance of the support provided by sponsors and partners such as the local authorities, DHL and TeamNL. Without their involvement, an event of this calibre would simply not be a viable endeavour.  

Earlier this month, Bas and his former teammates and coach Joop Alberda did come together, even though only virtually, to recall and celebrate again their historic achievement from August 4, 1996, when the Netherlands beat Italy 3-2 in the final match of the Volleyball competition at the Centennial Games in Atlanta – a feat that remains unmatched to this day and is regarded by Dutch fans as one of the most iconic and significant moments of the past century across all sports. He may have stopped playing almost 20 years ago (he did so in 2005) – but Van de Goor remains a very popular figure in the Netherlands also courtesy of the activities he runs through his own foundation, which helps promote sport among people suffering from diabetes. With his friendly and down-to-earth demeanour, Bas certainly knows how to give back to the sport and to the community as well.