FIVB

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Recorded May 13, 2026

FIVB standardized beach volleyball uniforms with the swimsuit becoming the required uniform for both men and women — a deliberate move to professionalize the look of the sport in the period after its 1996 Olympic debut and before the 2002 scoring/court reforms. The standardization stood until the 2012 liberalization removed the bikini requirement specifically for women, allowing shorts, leggings and t-shirts as alternatives.

Recorded May 8, 2026

Most consequential FIVB rule change of the modern era for beach volleyball. After a 2001 testing season, two paired changes were officially adopted: (1) court dimensions reduced from the indoor-volleyball standard of 9 m × 18 m to a beach-specific 8 m × 16 m, producing tighter rallies suited to two-person sides, and (2) scoring switched from sideout (only the serving team can score) to rally-point (a point is scored on every serve). The combined change shortened match length, made broadcast scheduling viable, and remains the operative format at FIVB events today.

Recorded May 8, 2026

Uniform-rule liberalization: bikinis no longer required for women in Olympic beach volleyball, with shorts, leggings, and long- or short-sleeved t-shirts explicitly permitted as alternatives. The change accommodated cultural and religious considerations that had effectively constrained participation from athletes whose national federations could not field teams under the prior strict requirement, broadening the geographic and demographic eligibility pool for the discipline at its highest level of competition.

Recorded May 8, 2026

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Recorded Mar 22, 2026