HISTORY
Volleyball at the Olympic Games

Volleyball made its Olympic debut at the 1964 Tokyo Games after being
adopted by the International Olympic Committee as a non-Olympic sport
in 1949. Eight years later, on September 24, 1957, the IOC session in
Sofia recognised Volleyball as an Olympic sport and FIVB as the sole
worldwide Volleyball governing body in all its disciplines. In 1961,
Volleyball was added as a medal sport for men and women at the Tokyo
Games in 1964.
|
Tokyo 1964
Volleyball's debut at the Olympic Games in 1964 was truly
exciting. In the men's event, the well-informed Japanese
spectators and TV viewers were enthusiastic witnesses to a
captivating three-way battle between USSR, Japan and
Czechoslovakia. USSR ultimately prevailed, pushing the Czechs
into second place. Japan, after a surprising defeat to Hungary
in the second round, had to be content with bronze. All went as
expected in the women's event as Japan, 1962 FIVB Volleyball
Women’s World Championship winners in Moscow, claimed gold by
beating USSR into second place and gave up only one set in six
matches, to eventual bronze medallists Poland.
>
More info
>
Video
|
|
|
 |
Mexico City 1968
At the 1968 Games in Mexico City the USSR men won gold
again despite a bad start, losing 3-2 to USA, but bounced back
to clinch gold ahead of Japan. In the women's event, the
Soviets' physical prowess and inventiveness made sure they were
able to turn the tables on the Japanese to finish first as the
Asian side settled for silver.
>
More info
|
|
|
|
Munich 1972
Munich 1972 finally saw the Japan men's team strick
gold as they beat East Germany to the crown as USSR finished
third. In the women's grand finale, USSR outstripped Japan in
the fifth set of the final to edge to the gold while North Korea
took bronze.
>
More info
|
|
|
|
Montreal 1976
Coach Hubert Wagner led the Polish Men to Olympic gold at the
1976 Games in Montreal, beating the Soviets to gold without
losing a single match while Cuba burst onto the international
stage with a well-deserved bronze. In the women's event, the
Soviet-Japanese seesaw at the top lost no momentum with the
Asian nation coming out on top on this occasion. South Korea,
led by Jo Heajung, clinched bronze meanwhile.
>
More info
>
Video
|
|
|
|
Moscow 1980
The Western boycott (absent women's teams included holders
Japan, Korea and rising stars USA and China) affected the fifth
Olympic Women's Volleyball Tournament, making it more of a
European Championship dominated, as usual, by USSR. Silver went
to East Germany and bronze to Bulgaria. Much was expected of the
Cubans but they disappointed. On the men's side, the boycott
didn't mean as much upheaval with as the USSR prevailed over
Bulgaria while Romania took bronze.
>
More info
>
Video
|
|
|
|
Los Angeles 1984
The political withdrawal of the Eastern countries from the 1984
Los Angeles Games did not significantly damage the women's
tournament as the event saw a fascinating dual between
debutantes China and hosts USA. The new side lost to the U.S. in
the preliminaries but bounced back to take gold as China's Ping
Lang stood head and shoulders above the rest. In the men's
tournament, USSR, Cuba, Poland and Bulgaria were missing for
political reasons as the hosts went on to win the tournament,
beating Brazil as Italy came third.
>
More info
|
|
|
|
Seoul 1988
USA finished on top in South Korea in 1988 as they beat USSR to
second. Argentina pulled off a surprise third-place finish,
beating a Brazil team full of veterans. In the women's event,
USSR started off by stumbling against Japan but came back in
style, coming from behind in a spectacular final against Peru.
China's third place marked the end of a fantastic winning streak
in international competition that had began in 1981.
>
More info
|
|
|
|
Barcelona 1992
Brazil's men claimed their first Olympic gold in Barcelona in
1992, losing only three sets in eight matches as they saw off
the Netherlands in the final. Outgoing champions USA lost in the
semi-finals but bounced back to claim bronze. On the women's
side, Cuba claimed gold, the Caribbean team finishing unbeaten
with their most difficult match coming in the semifinals
against USA (where they came back from 2-1 down). USSR finished
second and USA third.
>
More info
|
|
|
|
Atlanta 1996
With the likes of the Van de Goor brothers Bas and Mike and
Peter Blangé, a strong Netherlands men's outfit reached the
pinnacle of their time together as a team by claiming Olympic
gold, beating Italy, whose ranks included the likes of Andrea
Zorzi, Samuele Papi and Andrea Giani, in the final in a
five-setter. Yugoslavia made a statement of intent when, led by
the Grbic brothers Vladimir and Nikola, they claimed bronze. In
the women's tournament, Cuba retained their gold, the second of
three-in-a-row for the likes of Regla Torres, one of the
greatest players ever to grace the game. The Cubans beat China
in the final, with Brazil claiming the bronze medal.
>
More info
|
|
|
|
Sydney 2000
The Cuban women did what seemed the impossible by claiming their
third-straight Olympic gold in Sydney. The Cubans beat Russia
into the silver medal position, with Brazil picking up their
second-straight bronze medal. On the men's side, Yugoslavia
improved on their bronze medal in Atlanta by claming gold, the
Grbic brothers, Goran Vujevic and a young Ivan Miljkovic
combining to devastating effect. Russia finished in second place
and Italy third.
>
More info
|
|
 |
|
Athens 2004
The Chinese women pulled off an astonishing turnaround to beat
Russia and win Olympic gold after trailing by two sets. Cuba's
run of three straight golds may have come to an end but they
consoled themselves with the bronze medal courtesy of beating
Brazil 3-1. The Brazilian men, on the other hand, lived up to
their tag as favourites by claiming their second Olympic gold
after their 1992 success. Most Valuable Player Giba was the star
of the tournament as the Brazilians put the icing on the cake
for coach Bernardo Rezende with a 3-1 win over Italy in the
gold-medal final. Russia swept USA 3-0 to claim bronze.
|
|
|
|
Beijing 2008
USA men dethroned 2004 Athens champions Brazil for their first
Olympic title in 20 years as their female compatriots surprised
many with their own run to the final and but for the world No. 1
Brazilians it would have been a golden sweep for America. The
Americans had two non-natives to thank for their success: men's
coach Hugh McCutcheon of New Zealand and women's coach "Jenny"
Ping Lang, the former Chinese national team player who played
and won against USA in 1984, the American women's only previous
attempt at gold. The Brazilian women, meanwhile, had coach Jose
Roberto Guimaraes to thank for their omnipotent performance. "Ze
Roberto" became the first coach to lead teams to Olympic gold in
both the men's and women's tournaments following his Barcelona
1992 triumph with the Brazil Men's team. Russia claimed bronze
in the men's event, China took bronze in the women's.
|
|
|
|
London 2012
In the men's final, Brazil initially set the pace of the game
but could not capitalize on two opportunities to seal the deal
in straight sets. Dmitriy Muserskiy turned into the match winner
for Russia as he was moved by coach Alekno to play as opposite
starting from the third set and eventually amassed 31 points to
anchor his side to their first Olympic gold medal since 1980.
Italy eventually completed the podium by edging Bulgaria 3-1 in
the classification match. Meanwhile Brazil defeated the
previously unbeaten Americans 3-1 to capture the women’s gold
medal. It is the second Olympics in a row that the Brazilians
have held off an American challenge. In the classification
match, Japan turned their long-held dream of winning an Olympic
medal into reality by overcoming Korea in straight sets to claim
bronze - their first medal since 1984.
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|