National team player Shamaail suspended, halting L. Atoll volleyball tournament

The L. Atoll Volleyball Tournament has been halted due to the suspension of National Volleyball Team player Shamaail Hussain, who faced disciplinary action for participating in a private tournament without the necessary release from his National Team.

According to an official from the Volleyball Association of Maldives (VAM), participation in other tournaments without approval from the National Team is against the established Code of Conduct. The official emphasized that any National Squad player can only compete in another tournament after securing such a release.

Shamaail, a resident of L. Maavah, was involved in the Laamaaseel Laam Tournament organized by the Lh. Atoll Council. In an interview, he expressed uncertainty about the protocols regarding participation in island-level tournaments and criticized VAM's communication regarding the disciplinary action taken against him. The VAM official responded by stating that the Code of Conduct had been communicated to players via their dedicated WhatsApp group.

In response to the suspension, VAM has directed referees not to officiate any matches involving Shamaail and has informed the L. Atoll Council of this decision. The Council acknowledged that this instruction has resulted in a shortage of referees available for the tournament, leading the tournament committee to postpone all remaining matches. They have indicated that a new date for resuming the matches will be announced in due course.