Lausanne, Jun 9 (IANS): The International Federation de Volleyball (FIVB) has announced that there will be no high-level beach volleyball events, three stars or above, before the second half of October this year.

On Monday, FIVB updated the calendar for the beach volleyball events for the rest of the COVID-19 pandemic-interrupted 2019-20 season, with some previously postponed events, originally scheduled for March and May, cancelled. These include the 3-star events in Bandar Abbas, Iran; Gold Coast, Australia and Jurmala, Latvia, as well as a 4-star event in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

"The FIVB is working tirelessly to ensure the safe return of beach volleyball events, and will launch the application process for the 2020/2021 calendar later this month," FIVB said in a statement on its website.

"In addition, the official calendar for next season will be communicated to all stakeholders in the upcoming months, with no plans to stage any 3, 4 or 5-star events earlier than the second half of October 2020," it added.

FIVB will share the further update by August, based on positive updates received from event organisers in consultation with local health authorities amid the coronavirus pandemic which has so far claimed more than 4 lakh lives across the world.