NEW DELHI: Indian volleyball has been jolted by a players’ revolt, as senior internationals Anand K and John Joseph walked out of the national camp in Gandhinagar on Sunday. Their protest targets the abrupt removal of longtime foreign coach Dragan Mihailovic and alleged administrative lapses within the interim Volleyball Federation of India (VFI), led by Virender Kanwar.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The camp, held at the SAI’s Gandhinagar regional centre, is part of India’s preparations for the upcoming AVC Men’s Cup (June 20–28, Ahmedabad), a key tournament featuring 12 top Asian teams. With the Asian Games also on the horizon, the timing of the disruption raises serious concerns.Anand K criticized the decision to remove Mihailovic, linking it directly to declining preparation standards.“We had strong results under Mihailovic, including a runner-up finish at the Central Asian Volleyball Association (CAVA) tournament in Uzbekistan last year. His removal, without clarity, has hurt our preparations for the AVC Cup, AVC Men’s Championships and Asian Games,” he said. He added that the new coaching setup lacks the same global expertise, affecting player confidence and performance readiness.Mihailovic, who coached India for three years, was credited with modernizing training methods and improving results, including strong showings at international events. Players believe his exit disrupts continuity at a crucial phase.Sources within the interim VFI suggest deeper governance issues. An official requesting anonymity indicated that Mihailovic’s alignment with a reform-oriented “steering committee” backed by the FIVB created friction.