With three months to go, the 2004 and 2008 gold medallists have been announced as one of eight teams that will compete in the women’s competition on the shores of Lake Leman from May 28-June 2. The Swiss team meanwhile will compete for the first time in 16 years and will be out to win the tournament for the first time since 1987.

In total seven of the FIVB top-10 ranked teams will compete in the tournament; Olympic bronze-medallists Japan who are ranked third, Italy fourth, China fifth and reigning world champions Russia, sixth. Germany, who are ranked eighth and the Dominican Republic, who are ranked 10th, complete the line-up.

Brazil will compete in pool A with China, Russia and the host nation, while pool B is made up of Japan, Italy, Germany and the Dominican Republic; Teams will play each other once before the top two sides progress to the semi-finals and final.

The last time that the tournament was held, in 2011, Japan beat Cuba in the final, while China edged the USA for bronze.

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http://en.africatopsports.com/2013/02/25/volleyball-the-fivb-womens-site-inspection/