POSTHUMOUS

BANFI Jože – YUG/SLO/NED (PVE)

Jože Banfi started his involvement in the Centre for Education and Rehabilitation of Physically Handicapped Children and Adolescents in Kamnik, Slovenia. As well as competing in sitting volleyball he also competed in table tennis and swimming.

As an athlete he participated in two Paralympic Games (1980, 1984) in both sitting volleyball and swimming and won six medals in swimming (3 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze) and a bronze medal in sitting volleyball (1980). In the 1988 Paralympics he placed 4th place with Yugoslavia, and in 1996 4th again, then with the Netherlands.

He played sitting volleyball for the national team of Yugoslavia from 1980 until 1990, from 1991 for Slovenia and from 1996 for The Netherlands. He played for different clubs; from 1981 until 1995 for ISD Samorastnik in Slovenia and from 2000-2013 for the Dutch Club Team Volleer. Thus he played from 1980 to 2013. He was also a coach and instructor from 2000 until 2013.

Joze was a WOVD Instructor, and he worked on various sports development events for coaches and promotional events for youth. He acted as supervisor of both men and women national sitting volleyball teams, and he initiated the youth program and supported the EYOF tournament in The Netherlands.

Event involvement:

Player

1980 The Netherlands – Paralympic Games – National team of Yugoslavia – Bronze Medal
1981 Bonn, Germany – World Games for disabled – 5th place
1982 Delden – World Cup – National team of Yugoslavia – 4th place
1983 Budapest, Hungary – European Championships – National team of Yugoslavia – Bronze Medal
1984 New York – Paralympic Games – National team of Yugoslavia – 5th place
1985 Kristiansand, Norway – European and World Championships – National team of Yugoslavia – 2nd place
1986 Pecz, Hungary – European and World Championships – National team of Yugoslavia – 4th place
1987 Sarajevo – European Championships – National team of Yugoslavia – 2nd place
1988 Seoul, Korea -Paralympic Games – National team of Yugoslavia – 4th place
1989 Slovenia – National Championships of Yugoslavian Republics – Gold Medal
1990 Assen, The Netherlands – World Championships – National team of Yugoslavia – Bronze Medal
1992 EuroCup – ISD Samorastnik – 5th place
1993 Jarvenpaa, Finland – European Championships – National team of Slovenia – 6th plac
1994 Bottrop, Germany -World Championships – National team of Slovenia – 7th place
1995 Ljubljana, Slovenia – European Championships – National team of Slovenia – 7th place
1995 EuroCup, Roermond , ISD Samorastnik – 6th place
1996 USA – Paralympic Games – National team of the Netherland – 4th place

Coach

2000 The Netherlands – World Championship – Gold Medal
2001 Hungary – European Championship – Gold Medal
2002 Egypt – World Championship- Gold Medal
2002 Euro Cup – Gold Medal
2003 Finland – European Championship – Gold Medal
2004 Greece – Paralympic Games – Silver Medal
2005 Germany – European Championship – Gold Medal
2006 Roermond, The Netherlands – World Championship – Silver Medal
2007 Hungary – European Championship – Gold Medal
2008 Beijing, China – Paralympic Games – Bronze Medal

Player / Coach National League

2007 National Championship Gold Medal
2008 National Championship Gold Medal
2009 National Championship Silver Medal
2010 National Championship Silver Medal
2013 National Championship Gold Medal

Head Coach Dutch Men’s team and supervisor national teams 2012 – 2013
Head Coach National Women’s Team of The Netherlands 2000 – 2004
ParaVolley Player and Trainer/Coach Dutch Club Team Volleer 2000 – 2013
Member of Advisory Board NEVOBO (Sitting Volleyball) 2011 – 2013

Awards received:

Slovenian National Sport Award, the Bloudek Plaque for Sport achievements (1980)
Honorary Golden Nevobo pin for his services for sitting volleyball in The Netherlands;

Official posts held:

WOVD instructor
Member of Advisory Board NEVOBO (Sitting Volleyball, 2011 – 2013)
Member of the working group for integration of sitting volleyball within the Dutch Volleyball Federation NEVOBO
Worked in Sitting Volleyball Advisory Board at NEVOBO on sports developmental matters
Acted as supervisor of both men and women national sitting volleyball teams

Through his promotional, development and educational activities in different European nations and countries around the World, Jože Banfi made a significant contribution to the development of sitting volleyball as both a player and a coach.