The "Noumory Keita" case is already starting to resemble a circus, where volleyball takes a back seat. Initially, the story seemed relatively clear – Italy is interested in the star opposite hitter fromVeronaand is working on his naturalization. In recent days, however, the plot has expanded, and instead of a sporting focus, there has been a bidding war between federations lining up for one of SuperLega's most impressive scorers.
Italy – the first major candidate
Italy was the first country to publicly "appear" around Keita after the topic of his citizenship began to be discussed more actively. The logic is clear: the national team is looking for fresh attacking power, and Keita is a player who, in club volleyball, already looks like a finished product for the big stage.
Keita for
The strongest detail that turned the story into a real saga came from Keita himself. In an interview withCorriere dello Sporthe stated that:
for now, he cannot say anything specific about the Italian citizenship procedure;
he confirmed that France has also offered him citizenship;
he added that he has "several other offers."
This practically means that the case is no longer "Italy waits for Keita," but Keita chooses. And this is exactly where the problem begins – when national teams become a field for "who will offer more" type of competition, sports lose from the image of such trade.
The queue of interested parties – a symptom of a larger problem
| Federation | Status | What we know publicly |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | Leading candidate | The topic of citizenship and national team is openly discussed |
| France | Confirmed interest | Keita claims he was offered citizenship |
| Other federations | Mentioned by the player | "A few more offers," without official names |
Even without exact figures, the picture is clear – Keita is already a "target" for more than one federation. This brings to the forefront the unpleasant question: where is the line between a national team and a quick-result project based on naturalizations?
FIVB regulations: the key is "official match" and time is running out
At the end of the month, new rules from the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) come into force, which are directly related to such cases. The main highlights are two:
Limiting the number of players who have changed federations in one national team (maximum two).
Tightening the conditions for changing national affiliation if the player has already participated in official matches for another country.
And here comes the important part that Keita himself adds to the dispute:
➡️ he claims he has not officially played for Mali, which is fundamental to his eligibility to be registered for another federation.
Brief analysis:
Precisely this detail makes the case so "hot" – if Keita indeed has no official appearances for Mali, this could open the door for naturalization. However, if the opposite is proven, the matter could end administratively, regardless of how many federations have lined up.
Why volleyball does not benefit from this bidding war
When a player becomes the subject of a "market" between national teams, the meaning of national identity in sport is lost. Instead of talking about development, academies, and continuity, we arrive at:
"who will take him"
who will sort it out faster
who will find a loophole in the rules
And this is a scenario that makes volleyball more vulnerable – not on the court, but in people's trust.
photo: Nikolay Varadinov
