Swapping sand for snow, volleyball eyes Winter Games slot

Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics - Pyeongchang - South Korea – February 14, 2018. Giba Godoy of Brazil plays during an event promoting the Snow Volleyball hosted by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and European Volleyball Confederation (CEV). REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea (Reuters) - A snow volleyball exhibition on Wednesday showcased a sport organisers hope will one day be included in the Winter Olympics.

"We can show the world it's possible," said Brazilian beach volleyball player Emanuel Rego who won gold in the 2004 Summer Games and didn't mind the cold and windy conditions in Pyeongchang.

"It doesn't matter if it's a little bit cold or a little bit hot, you can play volleyball anywhere," he said.

Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics - Pyeongchang - South Korea – February 14, 2018. Players celebrate during an event promoting the Snow Volleyball hosted by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and European Volleyball Confederation (CEV) in Pyeongchang. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

Organisers of the exhibition match said they hoped it would follow the path of beach volleyball which has been an Olympic sport since the 1996 Summer Games.

Rego was joined by volleyball players from Brazil, Serbia, China, South Korea and Austria.

The first Snow Volleyball European Championships will be held in Austria in March with 24 men's and 24 women's teams competing.

Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics - Pyeongchang - South Korea – February 14, 2018. Xue Chen of China returns the ball during an event promoting the Snow Volleyball hosted by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and European Volleyball Confederation (CEV). REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

(Reporting by Reuters Television, editing by Darren Schuettler and Ed Osmond)

Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics - Pyeongchang - South Korea – February 14, 2018. Stefanie Schwaiger of Austria spikes during an event promoting the Snow Volleyball hosted by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and European Volleyball Confederation (CEV). REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics - Pyeongchang - South Korea – February 14, 2018. Nikolas Berger of Austria and Giba Godoy of Brazil in action during an event promoting the Snow Volleyball hosted by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and European Volleyball Confederation (CEV). REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji