## Beach Volleyball Duo Reacts to Unequal Treatment at Paris Olympics
Paris (Nettavisen): The Norwegian beach volleyball duo of Anders Mol and Christian Sørum secured their spot in the semifinals of the Paris Olympics after defeating the Spanish pair Pablo Herrera Allepuz (42) and Adrián Gavira (36) 2-0 on Wednesday evening.
Throughout the entire Olympics, the Norwegian pair has yet to drop a set.
“It is outstanding. It is rock solid,” commented Max-expert Jan Kvalheim.
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Reacting to Unequal Treatment
After the match, Nettavisen and other Norwegian journalists were instructed to hurry up their interviews with the athletes. This is because Mol and Sørum have to compete against Germany later that day at 6:00 PM.
“It is not optimal at all,” said Mol about the short recovery time.
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What particularly irks the Norwegian duo is that the German team has a full day more rest than them. The Germans played their quarterfinal match on Wednesday at 5 PM, while the Norwegians played theirs at 6 PM.
Mol believes this unequal treatment is unprofessional.
“I think it is unprofessional that in the Olympics you get such differences when it is very easy to set it up in a different way. I hope they reflect on this and organize it better next time. There’s nothing I can do about it now,” Mol said.
Mol also pointed out that the different recovery times could have a significant impact on the outcome of the match.
“They have a whole day more than us to rest. It speaks for itself that it has a lot to say for the entire preparation that we have to rush back now, shove some food in, and maybe not sleep until two or three in the morning. There’s a lot that takes time with transport, food, doping control, and everything. It’s not optimal at all,” Mol said.
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Strong Start: Playful
In Wednesday’s match, the Norwegian duo once again started strongly at the arena in front of the Eiffel Tower, winning the first set 21-16 against the Spanish veterans.
“It’s playful,” commented Max-expert Kvalheim during the set.
The second set was more evenly matched, but with Crown Prince Haakon in the stands, it also ended in a solid victory for the Norwegians with a score of 21-17.
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Praised for Their Demeanor
Beyond their performances on the sand, the Norwegians are also being praised for their demeanor.
Kvalheim believes Mol and Sørum deserve commendation for their attitude.
“I would say that these guys are fantastic ambassadors for the sport and for Norway. Many have started playing volleyball because these guys have results, but also because they are wonderful people,” said Kvalheim.