Lee Jaeyoung and Lee Dayoung Twins Plan Move to Greece... Player Registration Not Yet Completed

Negotiating Contract with Greek Pro Volleyball Team PAOK Thessaloniki
Due to 'School Violence Controversy,' Korea Volleyball Association Denies ITC Issuance... Expected to Be Issued via FIVB

Twin sisters Lee Jae-young and Lee Da-young are in the process of signing a contract with the Greek League professional volleyball team PAOK Thessaloniki.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Seohyun] The twin sisters Lee Jaeyoung and Lee Dayoung, who have lost their place in the Korean professional volleyball V-League, are reportedly in the process of signing with the Greek league professional volleyball team PAOK Thessaloniki.

However, since the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) has set the transfer permission date for female players as September 17, player registration is not yet possible.

The FIVB designates the period from mid-May to mid-October as the "international competition period" and prohibits transfers between leagues during this time. This regulation aims to prevent clubs from blocking their players from participating in major international volleyball competitions such as the Volleyball Nations League (VNL).

However, the FIVB has flexibility to reduce the "transfer ban period" by confirming the international competition period each year. In 2021, the domestic league opening dates were set as September 17 for the women's division and October 1 for the men's division. The issuance of the International Transfer Certificate (ITC) also begins at this time.

In the case of Lee Jaeyoung and Lee Dayoung, the process to join the team is somewhat more complicated.

Previously, the Korea Volleyball Association declared that it would not issue ITCs to Lee Jaeyoung and Lee Dayoung due to their involvement in a school violence controversy, so Lee Jaeyoung, Lee Dayoung, and the PAOK club are expected to obtain the ITCs through the FIVB.

An FIVB-certified agent told Yonhap News in an interview, "It is highly likely that the two players have already started the ITC issuance process through the FIVB. The FIVB will eventually issue the ITCs," adding, "However, it is impossible to predict when the ITCs will be issued. Since the FIVB begins issuing ITCs for female players from September 17, it is uncertain how quickly they will process the ITC issuance for Lee Jaeyoung and Lee Dayoung."

Meanwhile, if the PAOK club is 100% confident about recruiting Lee Jaeyoung and Lee Dayoung, they can call the two to Greece and start team training before the ITCs are issued. As of now, the two players have not yet joined the training.