There is also Paola Egonu among the 30 players of the women's national volleyball team called up in view of the Volleyball Nations League 2023. The announcement comes from the Italvolley women's coach, Davide Mazzanti, who thus confirmed the presence of the blue star after his outburst at the World Cup in October and the hypotheses of abandonment of the blue.
Egonu had told of her bitterness for meanness and negative comments, some of a racist background, after the defeat in the World Cup semifinal against Brazil. She had vented over that phrase repeated against her for the umpteenth time - "Why are you Italian?". And he had also said: "enough of all this stress". Now Egonu, in Italy's first call-up since that World Cup, is in the extended group. For each stage of the Volleyball Nations League 2023, the blue coach will be able to choose 14 athletes. The Italian national team, holders of the trophy, will begin their journey in Antalya against Thailand on 30 May.
In the second week, however, Italy will be busy in Hong Kong (June 14-18) and in the last stage in Bangkok.
This is the list of the 30 blue.
Setters : Francesca Bosio, Giulia Gennari, Ilaria Battistoni, Rachele Morello, Alessia Orro; Opposites: Sylvia Nwakalor, Ekaterina Antropova, Adhouljok Malual, Giorgia Frosini, Paola Egonu; Spikers: Miriam Sylla, Loveth Omoruyi, Francesca Villani, Alice Degradi, Sofia D'Odorico, Rebecca Piva, Caterina Bosetti, Elena Pietrini. Central: Anna Danesi, Marina Lubian, Sarah Fahr, Federica Squarcini, Alessia Mazzaro, Linda Nwakalor, Emma Graziani, Cristina Chirichella; Free: Eleonora Fersino, Beatrice Parish, Sara Panetoni, Monica De Gennaro.
