FIRST OLYMPIC STEP FOR MEN's VOLLEYBALL

 

The FIVB Volleyball Men's World Cup returned on November 20, marking the first step in the qualification proces for the London 2012 Olympic Games. The tournament will run until December 4 and the top three teams will qualify for the Games. They will join Great Britain who have already secured a berth as the host country.

A total of 12 teams are in Japan for the competition, all of which have qualified for the tournament through their respective continental championships, either as the champions or as one of the four best runners-up from around the world. Additionally, two wildcards were selected with hosts Japan also competing.

Brazil have won the two last World Cups in 2003 and 2007 and are the second team in volleyball history to win back-to-back titles after the former Soviet Union, which won the trophy in 1977 and 1981, along with 1965 and 1991. The only other winners of the tournament have been East Germany in 1969, USA in 1985, Cuba in 1989 and Italy in 1995.

Medals

Year	Place	1st	2nd	3rd
2011	Tokyo (Japan)	Russia	Poland	Brazil
2007	Tokyo (Japan)	Brazil	Russia	Bulgaria
2003	Tokyo (Japan)	Brazil	Italy	Serbia & Montenegro
1999	Tokyo (Japan)	Russia	Cuba	Italy
1995	Tokyo (Japan)	Italy	Netherlands	Brazil
1991	Tokyo (Japan)	U.S.S.R.	Cuba	USA
1989	Tokyo (Japan)	Cuba	Italy	U.S.S.R.
1985	Tokyo (Japan)	USA	U.S.S.R.	Czechoslovakia
1981	Tokyo (Japan)	U.S.S.R.	Cuba	Brazil
1977	Tokyo (Japan)	U.S.S.R.	Japan	Cuba
1969	East Berlin (G.D.R.)	G.D.R.	Japan	U.S.S.R.
1965	Warsaw (Poland)	U.S.S.R.	Poland	Czechoslovakia