Volleyball Nations League’s slogan “Be part of the game” is being literally applied in Turkiye these days in a special way, which allows visually impaired fans experience volleyball like never before. As Ankara is hosting a pool in the women’s VNL 2026, such fans may follow the Turkish national team matches live from the stands throughout this week, and many of them have this opportunity for the first time thanks to the VolleyVoice social initiative for accessible sports, which operates under the slogan “There’s a place for everyone in the stands”.
This accessibility activation for visually impaired fans is run by a team of four people around TRT commentator Nihan Cabbaroglu, united by a shared belief that the sports venues should be accessible to everyone. It allows these fans to follow the matches through live audio commentary delivered via earphones, with one commentator describing the action as it happens on court.
The Turkish Volleyball Federation provided tickets to a group of about 60 visually impaired spectators, who are welcomed and guided by 16 volunteers. Thanks to two commentators, the participants are enabled to experience the volleyball matches live from the stands through real-time, human-led audio description, and feel the sport through its sound, rhythm and energy. Feedback is collected and shared with rights holders to continuously improve inclusive sports experiences, with 90% of participants expressing their desire to come back.
