Arunachal Pradesh hosts world’s first short-height men’s volleyball tournament with modified net system

A unique sporting initiative aimed at promoting inclusivity in athletics concluded successfully in Arunachal Pradesh as the second edition of the world’s first-ever “Short Height Men’s Volleyball Tournament with Short Net Height” was held at Rasing Village under Siang District.

Organised by the North Eastern Sports and Cultural Organization (NESCO), the tournament was conducted from May 3 to May 14, 2026, exclusively for players with heights ranging from 5 feet 4 inches to 5 feet 7 inches. The competition featured a specially designed volleyball net height of 7 feet 2 inches, lower than the international standard net height of 7 feet 11 inches.

A total of 20 teams from various districts including Siang, East Siang, West Siang and Upper Siang participated in the historic tournament, which organisers described as a first-of-its-kind effort to create a more level playing field for shorter athletes.

The grand finale, played on May 14, saw the Friends IX Team emerge victorious after defeating the Generation Z Team by 3-1 sets.

Trophies and prizes were distributed by Ibrahim Pajing and Dina Tatak during the closing ceremony.

Speaking at the event, Ibrahim Pajing, who is also the initiator of the “IP Height Classification” (IPHC) system, explained the vision behind the tournament and the broader movement for height-based sports classification.

He pointed out that while sports like boxing, wrestling and weightlifting have weight categories to ensure fair competition, many sports such as volleyball, basketball, high jump, long jump, swimming and track and field events do not have separate categories for shorter athletes.

According to Pajing, this creates a major disparity where shorter and smaller athletes are often dominated by taller competitors and consequently lose opportunities to compete effectively at national and international levels.

He argued that several legendary athletes in combat sports, including Mary Kom, Manny Pacquiao, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Sugar Ray Leonard, may never have achieved global success if weight divisions did not exist in boxing.

To address this issue, Pajing introduced the IP Height Classification model, which categorises athletes into multiple height divisions, including Very Short Height, Short Height, Medium Height, Tall Height, Very Tall Height and Super Tall Height categories.

He said the initiative seeks to promote fairness, equality and sporting opportunities for shorter athletes worldwide and appealed to sports authorities at both state and national levels to officially recognise and implement the IP Height Classification system in applicable sports events.

The tournament has drawn attention for its innovative concept and its attempt to redefine inclusivity in sports by advocating for competition structures that account for physical height differences, much like weight classifications in combat sports.