The national governing body for beach volleyball has dropped plans to require Olympic hopefuls to compete in a trials next summer to earn a spot in London.
Instead, USA Volleyball will propose that teams accumulate points on the international tour to make it to the 2012 Games. That was the system used in 2004 and '08.
USA Volleyball's acting chair announced the decision this week in an email, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press. It says the U.S. Olympic Committee supported the decision.
With the bankruptcy of the domestic pro tour last year, a trials tournament could have raised money and increased the profile of the sport in the United States. But most top players objected that a win-or-go-home event right before the Olympics would be a distraction.
