Volleyball
Prior to Sydney 2000, the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) introduced a new specialist role: the libero. This player wears a different coloured uniform from the rest of the team and can be substituted in backcourt for any player on the team. [Full story]
Drawing of lots for the Olympic volleyball competitions
• Men's:
Group A: USA (A1), Italy (A2), Bulgaria (A3), China (A4),Japan (A5), Venezuela (A6)
Group B: Serbia (B1), Brazil (B2), Poland (B3), Germany (B4), Egypt (B5), Russia (B6)
• Women's:
Group A: Japan (A1), Venezuela (A2), Poland (A3), Cuba (A4), China(A5), USA (A6)
Group B: Algeria (B1), Serbia (B2), Italy (B3), Russia (B4), Kazakstan (B5), Brizil (B6)
List of Events
- • volleyball Men
- • volleyball Women
Athlete Quota:
144 men (12 teams of 12 athletes per team)
144 women (12 teams of 12 athletes per team)
Total of 288 athletes
- TIMELINE
- SYSTEM
- PRINCIPLES
- ENTRY (M)
- ENTRY (W)
QUALIFICATION TIMELINE
| 1-30 September, 2007 | Period for Continental Championships |
| 1–15 November 2007 | Women's World Cup (JPN) |
| 16–30 November 2007 | Men's World Cup (JPN) |
| 1 December 2007–15 January 2008 | Continental Olympic Qualification Tournaments |
| 15-20 January 2008 | Women's Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament (GER) |
| 22-27 January 2008 | Women's Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament (ALG) |
| 3-9 February 2008 | Men's Continental Olympic Qualification Tournaments (RSA) |
| 17-25 May 2008 | Women's Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament (JPN) |
| 23-25 May 2008 | Men's World Olympic Qualification Tournament (GER) |
| 30 May-1 Jun 2008 | Men's World Olympic Qualification Tournament (POR) |
| 31 May-8 Jun 2008 | Continental Olympic Qualification Tournaments (JPN) |
| 31 May-8 Jun 2008 | Men's World Olympic Qualification Tournament (JPN) |
| 23 Jun 2008 | Deadline for Beijing 2008 Organising Committee to receive entry forms submitted by NOCs |
SYSTEM
| Event | Qualification | Total |
| 2007 Continental Championships/2007 World Cups | The top three (3) teams from the 2007 World Cups (Men & Women) will qualify to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Only teams which participate in the 2007 Continental Championships will be able to qualify for the 2007 World Cups. | 3 teams |
| Continental Olympic Qualification tournaments | The winner of each tournament will qualify for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games when the tournament is held with the participation of no less than 4 teams. | 5 teams |
| World Olympic Qualification tournaments | The FIVB will organise up to three (3) World Olympic Qualification tournaments in which three (3) vacancies will be decided. | 3 teams |
| Host nation | The host nation directly qualifies | 1 team |
| Total | 12 Men 12 Women |
Principles in detail:
The host nation: 1 vacancy
China is directly granted one (1) vacancy in the men's Olympic volleyball tournament
and one(1) vacancy in the women's Olympic volleyball tournament.
2007 Continental Championships/2007 World Cups: 3 vacancies
The top three (3) teams from the 2007 World Cups (Men & Women) will qualify to the Beijing
2008 Olympic Games. Only teams which participate in the 2007 Continental Championships
will be able to qualify for the 2007 World Cups.
a) 2007 CONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Period: 1–30 September 2007
Participants: no less than four (4) teams of the same continent in accordance with the
continental regulations.
b) 2007 WORLD CUPS (MEN & WOMEN)
Period:
Women: 1–15 November 2007
Men: 16–30 November 2007
Location: Japan
Participants: the host country, five (5) continental champions, the next six (6) top
teams in accordance with the World Cup regulations for a total of twelve (12) teams.
The teams finishing in first, second and third place in each of the World Cups will
qualify for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
Continental Olympic Qualification tournaments: 5 vacancies
Period: 1 December 2007–15 January 2008
Participants:
no less than four (4) teams from the same continent are required for each
tournament. Only nations not previously qualified for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
may enter the Continental Olympic Qualification tournaments.
The winner of each tournament will qualify for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games when
the tournament is held with the participation of no less than 4 teams.
Continental Tournaments held with only three or less teams for the Olympic
Qualification will not be recognised for the Olympic Qualification.
World Olympic Qualification tournaments: 3 vacancies
The FIVB will organise up to three (3) World Olympic Qualification tournaments in which three
(3) vacancies will be decided, plus any continental vacancies (non-disputed continental
vacancies) which remain undecided as a result of one (1) or more continents not hosting a
Continental Olympic Qualification tournament according to the requirements as stated in
section above.
Women–1 tournament
Period: 17-25 May 2008
Location: Japan
Participants:
Japan plus top three (3) Asian teams (Thailand, Korea, Kazakhstan) plus three (3) vacancies
Olympic tournament for Men - Germany
Period: 23-25 May 2008
Participants:
Germany plus three (3) vacancies
Olympic tournament for Men - Portugal
Period: 30 May-1 June 2008
Participants:
Portugal plus three (3) vacancies
Olympic tournament for Men - Japan
Period: 31 May-8 June 2008
Participants:
Japan plus top four (4) Asian teams (Australia, Korea, Islamic Republic of Iran, Thailand) plus top four (4) world teams
Entries confirmed (Men)
| NOC Code | Qualification |
| CHN | host nation |
| BRA | the gold medalist from the 2007 World Cup |
| RUS | the silver medalist from the 2007 World Cup |
| BUL | the bronze medalist from the 2007 World Cup |
| SRB | the gold medalist from the Continental Olympic Qualification tournament |
| USA | the gold medalist from the Continental Olympic Qualification tournament |
| VEN | the gold medalist from the Continental Olympic Qualification tournament |
Entries confirmed (Women)
| NOC Code | Qualification |
| CHN | host country |
| ITA | the gold medalist from the 2007 World Cup |
| BRA | the silver medalist from the 2007 World Cup |
| USA | the bronze medalist from the 2007 World Cup |
| CUB | the gold medalist from the NORCECA Olympic qualification tournament |
| VEN | the gold medalist from the South American Olympic qualification tournament |
| ALG | the gold medalist from the African Olympic qualification tournament |
| RUS | the gold medalist from the European Olympic qualification tournament |
Competition venues
Hall of Fame
Regla TorresAt 1.91m tall, Regla Torres seemed a natural for the sport of volleyball. A middle blocker and attacker, she was a member of the Cuban team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and played in the final, in which the Cubans defeated the team from the former Soviet Union in four sets. [Full story]
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