National Volleyball Players of Iran at their 1st Olympic Participation
The national volleyball of senior men’s team will make the challenge in Rio 2016 against opponents of the least two versus the most fourteen participation records in history.
As the Public Relations of volleyball federation reported, the 31st Olympic Games will start on August 6th in Brazil, Rio de Janeiro and this is the 14th episode occurring for volleyball sport.
Volleyball made its Olympic debut at the 1964 Tokyo Games and is now in its 4th anniversary taking place in Rio where twelve teams will compete in men and women categories apiece.
In 1964, 1968, 1976, 1980, and 1984, the number of participating teams were only ten teams but the other episodes welcomed twelve teams in each event for men and women.
Thirty-eight countries have made their names engraved into Men’s Volleyball Olympic Games, the real number is though less than the record as some countries attended with different names such as Soviet Union, East Germany, West Germany, Germany and the like.
The national team of Iran this year in Tokyo Qualification Games beat six power teams and succeeded to realize the Olympic dream after 52 years as a vice-champion in June.
A Short Glance at Olympic Volleyball Teams in Rio
The pools were allocated by FIVB using the serpentine system, with those with the highest world ranking as of January 1, 2016 drawn first into Pool B after hosts Brazil (who are automatically placed in Pool A).
Hosts Brazil will have a challenge on their hands, with the world No.1 set to take on FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Cup winners USA, runners-up Italy and FIVB Volleyball World League and European champions France in Pool A with Canada and Mexico complete the group.
It will be an olympic versus world champion showdown in Pool B, with London 2012 gold medalist Russia, World Championship 2014 winners Poland, ever-improving Iranians, and Argentina, Cuba, and Egypt.
Argentina is experiencing the 7th participation in Olympic Games with the only bronze record in 1988.
Volleyball of Brazil is as glorious as the other sport events. They have made a full participation in all 14 quadrennial. Brazil obtained five medals (two gold in 1992 & 2004 along with three silver medals in 1984, 2008 & 2012).
Canada will take part in Rio to make the fourth participation to improve their best records satisfying as the fourth team in 1984.
The bronze medalist Cuba (1976) is experiencing the 7th presence this year in Rio while 2015 World League Champion France is having the fourth participation carrying the best records in eighth place in 1988.
Italy is verifying the 11th participation in row and had found no place among the top ten teams from 1964 to 1972. No gold medal is named with the Azures. Two silver (1996 & 2004) and three bronze (1984, 2000, 2012) medals are of the other glories documented overall.
Mexico is attending their second Olympic Games that was first realized in 1968 sufficing no more better than the tenth place. Poland with ninth participation including Rio has just made one gold medal in 1976.
Russians were just absent in 1984 and approved 12 participations with the national name as a whole. The United States sets up the 11th participation this year with three gold (1984, 1988, 2008), and one bronze (1992) medal noted.
Soviet Union with the Highest Olympic Volleyball Records
Soviet Union has still the highest medal archives in spite of a 14-year dissolution history. 12 medals in both men and women categories (7 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze) has made it prominent even after long years of reformation. Six more medals (1 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze) has since been attributed to Russia.
In previous 13 editions, eight countries could earn gold medal for men groups recording highest by Soviet Union and USA with 3 gold medals apiece. Any more gold medal in this episode can discriminate the most honorable team in rank.
The other gold medalists of Olympic Games are Brazil (twice), Russia, Japan, Netherlands, Yugoslavia, and Poland. Fifteen countries could earn the medal on general.
Medals Summary for Men’s Volleyball Teams:
- Soviet Union: 6 medals (3 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze)
- Unites States: 4 medals (3 gold & 1 bronze)
- Brazil: 5 medals (2 gold & 3 bronze)
- Russia: 4 medals (1 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze)
- Japan: 3 medals (1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze)
- Netherlands: 2 medals (1 gold & 1 silver)
- Yugoslavia: 2 medals (1 gold & 1 bronze)
- Poland: 1gold medal
- Italy: 5 medals (2 silver & 3 Bronze)
- Czechoslovakia: 2 medals (1 silver & 1 bronze)
- Bulgaria: 1 silver medal
- East Germany: 1 silver medal
- Argentina: 1 bronze medal
- Cuba: 1 bronze medal
- Romania: 1 bronze medal
Top Four Rankings of Men’s Volleyball Team at Previous 13 Episodes:
1964 Tokyo: Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Japan, Romania
1968 Mexico City: Soviet Union, Japan, Czechoslovakia, East Germany
1972 Munich: Japan, East Germany, Soviet Union, Bulgaria
1976 Montreal: Poland, Soviet Union, Cuba, Japan
1980 Moscow: Soviet Union, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland
1984 Los Angeles: United States, Brazil, Italy, Canada
1988 Seoul: United States, Soviet Union, Argentina, Brazil
1992 Barcelona: Brazil, Netherlands, United States, Cuba
1996 Atlanta: Netherlands, Italy, Yugoslavia, Russia
2000 Sydney: Yugoslavia, Russia, Italy, Argentina
2004 Athens: Brazil, Italy, Russia, United States
2008 Beijing: Unites States, Brazil, Russia, Italy
2012 London: Russia, Brazil. Italy, Bulgaria
2016 Rio de Janeiro: ?
