Proliga 2022 Officially Opens, Menpora: Even Without Spectators, It's Still Lively

Menpora Zainudin Amali opens Proliga 2022 (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The elite volleyball competition Proliga 2022 has started to roll. Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora) Zainudin Amali officially opened the highest national volleyball competition.

The inaugural match of the 2022 Proliga begins on Friday, January 7th. All matches were played in a bubble system and without spectators at the General Police Kunarto Volleyball Padepokan, Sentul, Bogor, West Java.

"Even without spectators, it was still lively," Amali said in an official statement from PBVSI, reported by Antara.

The last time the Proliga was held was in March 2020. At that time the competition was forced to stop midway due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last year, the highest national event was also forced to be abolished. At that time, PBVSI confirmed that there were no sponsors willing to work for the competition.

"The implementation of this competition without spectators can cure the longing for volleyball lovers in the country," said the Head of PBVSI Komjen Pol Imam Sudjarwo.

This season there are a total of 11 teams competing, each with six men's teams and five women's teams. Teams in each sector will face each other in the preliminary round which is divided into two rounds.

The first round takes place on January 7-30, while the second round will take place on February 11-6 March.

The match between the women's team Jakarta Electric PLN and Jakarta Popsivo Polwan opened the tournament series. Following the Palembang men's team, Bank Sumsel Babel, against Surabaya Bhayangkara Samator.