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The German Volleyball Association (DVV) has backed its players Karla Borger and Julia Sude when they renounce the Beach Volleyball World Tour event in Qatar in March.
"We respect Karla and Julia's decision and can absolutely understand it," a spokesman told SPIEGEL on Saturday.
Borger and Sude, currently Germany's best team in 16th place in the world rankings, had previously stated in SPIEGEL that they did not want to take part in the tournament.
The Qatari authorities had set dress codes for the competitions, the players should start in shirts and knee-length pants.
"We don't want to support that," Borger and Sude told SPIEGEL.
For the first time, the World Volleyball Federation added a tournament in Qatar for women to its calendar this year.
The move was generally welcomed by the DVV.
"Until now, the tournaments there have unfortunately only been reserved for men, so we also consider the organization to be an important step," said a DVV spokesman.
"Now it is important that this rapprochement is deepened in a mutual exchange." The men's tournament has already taken place seven times in the past.
Borger and Sude criticized the current rules for women in SPIEGEL from different points of view.
“It's not about wearing little or not.
The point is that we can't do our work in our work clothes, ”said Sude.
Beach volleyball is “damn exhausting,” said Borger: “We adapt to every country where we can.
We are ready for that too.
But you're just dripping in the heat. "
Borger and Sude no longer had to rely on the tournament to qualify for the Olympics.
Four other German teams are currently registered for the event in Qatar.
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