Russia - Pool A (Scroll down for Spanish)
The Soviet Union became a FIVB member in 1948 and started to participate in international competitions from the following year to establish themselves as one of the most successful Volleyball nations ever. Their team was victorious in the very first World Championship in Czechoslovakia in 1949 and claimed another five world titles in the following decades: 1952 in the Soviet Union, 1960 in Brazil, 1962 in the Soviet Union, 1978 in Italy and 1982 in Argentina. Besides that, they placed second three times, including the last World Championship in Argentina where they conceded a loss to the titleholder Brazil in the finals in what turned out to be a rerun of the final contested 20 years before. The team also retains a fantastic record at the Olympic Games, triumphing three times - in Tokyo (1964), Mexico City (1968) and Moscow (1980). They also finished second on three occasions. To mention other numerous honors, the team, succeeded by the Russian squad in 1993 due to the political changes that saw the split of the Soviet Union, has been European Champion 12 times and has won the World Cup five times. They have also been attacking the podium of the World League since its inception, claiming both the silver and the bronze three times before they finally triumphed last year in Brazil, depriving the host country of the title in a dramatic final worthy of this annual competition. It was a well-deserved title for the Russians, who, led by Pavel Abramov, Alexei Koulechov and Vadim Khamouttskikh at the top of individual standings, proved too powerful for the rest of the elite teams. In 2003, the title-holders will play Poland, Spain and Venezuela in Pool A. The Russians, who currently lead the FIVB World ranking, are, together with the World Champions Brazil, clear favorite of the competition this year. 

Squad: Tereshin (DINAMO, Moscow, RUS); Kozlov (LOKOMOTIV, Belgorod, RUS); Poltavsky (PALLAVOLO MONTICHIARI, ITA); Baranov (LOKOMOTIV, Belgorod, RUS); Abramov (DINAMO, Moscow, RUS); Komarov (ISKRA, Odintsovo, RUS); Kazakov (TRENTINO, ITA); Tetioukhine (LOKOMOTIV, Belgorod, RUS); Khamouttskikh (LOKOMOTIV, Belgorod, RUS); Iakovlev (DAYTONA, ITA); Ushakov (SSK, TUR); Khtei (MGTU-LUZHNIKI, Mosc,RUS); Egortchev (LOKOMOTIV, Belgorod, RUS); Kossarev (LOKOMOTIV, Belgorod, RUS); Guerassimov (PERUGIO VOLLEY, ITA); Sokolov (NEFTIANIK, Yaroslavl, RUS); Arkhipov (ISKRA, Odintsovo, RUS); Koulechov (LOKOMOTIV, Belgorod, RUS).