First President of Swedish Volleyball Association Einar Hamberg passes away aged 97
News
The first President of the Swedish Volleyball Association, Mr Einar Hamberg, has passed away peacefully at the age of 97. As chairman from very early days of the organisation in 1961, he helped foster the development of Swedish Volleyball during his eight-year tenure. Mr Hamberg was elected number one in the Swedish Volleyball Hall of Fame officially opened in 2022.
When the awards were recently handed out in connection with the Grand Prix in Uppsala, he was represented by his son Magnus, but joined in the celebrations to address the audience via video link.
Einar Hamberg was born in Rooslepa, Estonia, in 1925 and grew up in a Swedish-speaking village but fled to Sweden during World War II. Volleyball was a big sport in Estonia at the time, and he brought it to Sweden where the Estonians kept it alive with the delivery of annual competitions.
When, many years later, work began to form the Swedish Volleyball Association, Einar Hamberg was one of the driving forces. He also founded Sollentuna Volleyball Club in 1960. After he stepped down as chairman, he was the association’s auditor for many years, and has now been succeeded in this capacity by his son Magnus.
Hamberg never lost touch with Volleyball and was an active veteran player until almost 90 years of age. He formed the Krutgubbarna, which, among other things, played matches against State President Mauno Koivisto’s team in Finland and an international match against the Norwegian ladies in 2012.
Annika Sjöberg“I did not know Einar personally, but many have told me about his importance to Volleyball in Sweden. He was one of the great pioneers who rooted the sport in our country and set the path for further development. The love of Volleyball was lifelong, just like his work, which spanned from the federal to the grassroots level. We are eternally grateful to Einar. Our condolences to his family and friends.”
President of the Swedish Volleyball Association