TEAM COMPOSITION

RUS / Russia - Team Composition

Team manager	Artamonov Igor
Head coach	Alekno Vladimir
Assistant coach	Busato Sergio
Doctor	Smakotnin Yaroslav
Therapist / trainer	Grevtsov Pavel
Journalist	Chikiris Oleg

	No.	Name	Lastname	Shirt Name	Birthdate	Height	Weight	Spike	Block
	2	Denis	Biriukov	Biryukov	08.12.1988	202	93	352	324
	3	Nikolay	Apalikov	Apalikov	26.08.1982	203	103	353	344
C	4	Taras	Khtey	Khtey	22.05.1982	205	109	351	339
	6	Evgeny	Sivozhelez	Sivozhelez	06.08.1986	196	90	330	320
	7	Sergey	Makarov	Makarov	28.03.1980	196	97	337	329
	8	Sergey	Tetyukhin	Tetyukhin	23.09.1975	197	89	345	338
	9	Alexander	Sokolov	Sokolov	01.03.1982	193	97	315	310
	10	Roman	Yakovlev	Yakovlev	13.08.1976	202	102	344	332
	12	Alexander	Butko	Butko	18.03.1986	198	97	339	327
	13	Dmitriy	Muserskiy	Muserskiy	29.10.1988	218	104	375	347
	16	Pavel	Kruglov	Kruglov	17.09.1985	205	98	351	342
	17	Maxim	Mikhaylov	Mikhaylov	19.03.1988	202	103	345	330
	18	Alexander	Volkov	Volkov A.	14.02.1985	210	90	360	335
	20	Alexey	Obmochaev	Obmochaev	22.05.1989	188	80	325	310

C=Captain L=Libero

Team profile

The USSR Volleyball Federation joined the FIVB in 1948 and in 1949 participated in the first FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship. International competitions such as the Olympic Games, World and European Championships and World Cups were continually synonymous with a victorious USSR men’s team as they went on to gain worldwide recognition by winning three Olympic titles (1964, 1968 and 1980), six World Championships (1949, 1952, 1960, 1962, 1978, 1982), four World Cups (1965, 1977, 1981, 1991) and were European champions 12 times.

In 1993, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the Russians never lost their volleyball dominance. In 1996 and 1997 the team finished third in the World League and in 1998 they placed second. Then 1999 saw them regain the World Cup title before capturing silver at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

The year 2002 was highlighted by the Russian team winning the World League title once again and claiming silver at the World Championships. Then 2004 and 2008 brought further Olympic glory for the Russians as they took the bronze medal in Athens and Beijing respectively. The past decade has seen Russia finish amongst the medals without clinching the elusive gold, that was until this year’s World League. The start of another dominant Russia era? One waits to see.

Coach profile

Vladimir Alekno, in his second stint as coach, led Russia to 2011World League glory. After playing in USSR, Bulgaria, Italy and France, he began coaching French club Tours in 1999, winning the French Championship and France Cup. After success with Dynamo Moscow he became Russia coach in 2007 leading them to World League and World Cup silver. After bronze at the 2008 Olympics Alekno was replaced by Daniele Bagnoli, but returned in 2010. He also coaches Russian club Zenit Kazan, who finished third at the recent Men’s Club World Championship.