February 9, 1895

- William G. Morgan, a YMCA Physical

Education Director in Holyoke, Massachusetts
(USA), created a new game called “Mintonette”.

- The game took some of its characteristics from tennis,

handball and badminton.

- Mintonette was designed to be an indoor sport less rough

than basketball for older member of the YMCA, while still
requiring a bit of athletic effort.
The first rule constructed by William G. Morgan was the
requirement of a net 6ftx6in (1.98m) high, just above the
average man’s head, a 25ftx50ft (7.6mx15.2m) court, and any
number of players.

A match was composed of nine innings with three serves for

each team in each inning. There was no limit to the number
of ball contacts for each team before sending the ball to the
opponents’ court.

In case of a serving error, a second try was allowed. Hitting

the ball into the net was considered a foul (with loss of the
point or a side-out) – except in the case of the first-try serve.
 After Alfred Halstead noticed the volleying
nature of the game at its first exhibition match in
1896, played at the International YMCA
Training School (now called Springfield College),
the game became quickly known as volleyball
(originally written in two words: “volley ball”).
Volleyball rules were slightly modified by the
International YMCA Training School, and the
game spread around the country in various
YMCAs.
1896 After a demonstration given at the YMCA in
Springfield the name "Mintonette" is replaced with
"Volleyball."

1900 The rules as modified by W.E. Day are accepted and

published by the YMCA. The height of the net is
increased to 7-feet-6. Match length is set at 21 points.

Canada is the first "foreign" country to adopt

Volleyball.

1906 Cuba discovers "6 Volleyball" in 1906, thanks to a

North American army officer, Agusto York, who
takes part in the second military intervention on the
Caribbean island.
 Volleyball reaches Japan. It is Hyozo Omori, a
1908
Springfield College graduate in the United States,
who first demonstrates the rules of the new game on
the YMCA courts in Tokyo.

1910 Volleyball officially lands in China, thanks to Max

Exner and Howard Crokner. Up until 1917, play is
between 16-man teams and goes to 21 points.

The Philippines, too, got to know the new game. It is

imported by Manila YMCA director Elwood Brown.
In a very short space of time, there are 5,000 public
and private courts.

In the USA, decisive impetus is given to the game by

Prevost Idell, YMCA director in Germantown.
1912 The court size is changed, becoming 35x60 feet. A
uniform size and weight of the ball is established,
calling for a circumference of 26 inches and a weight
of between 7 and 9 ounces. Two other important
innovations: the number of players on each team is
set at six and it is decided to rotate players before
service.

1913 Volleyball is put on the programme for the first Far

Eastern Games held in Manila. Teams are made up
of 16 players.

George Fisher, secretary of the YMCA War Office,

1914
includes Volleyball in the recreation and education
programme for the American armed forces.
1915 The number of players on court again becomes
variable, anything from 2 to 6 for each team. Official
game time is introduced and it is decided that the
team losing a game has the right to begin serving in
the next game.

In Europe, Volleyball arrives on the French beaches

of Normandy and Brittany with American soldiers
fighting in the First World War. Its popularity grows
rapidly, but the game takes root especially in
Eastern countries, where the cold climate makes
gym sports particularly attractive.

The opening days of World War I brings Volleyball

to Africa. The first country to learn the rules is
Egypt.
 Many new rules are established. The score for a
1916 "game" drops from 21 to 15, and it is determined
that to win a match a team has to win two out of
three "games." The ball can now be hit with a
player’s feet. Net height rises to 8 feet, while ball
weight climbs from 8 to 10 ounces. It is decided that
holding on to the ball is a foul and that a player
cannot have contact with the ball a second time until
after it has been played by another athlete.

Volleyball becomes a part of the programme of the

NCAA, the body that oversees college and university
sports in the USA.
1917 At the Allied Forces air base in Porto Corsini, where
Ravenna’s sports palace is now located, American
airmen introduce the virus of Volleyball into Italy.

The number of players per team is set at six.

1918
In Japan, the first High School Championship is
played.
1919 During the First World War, Dr. George J. Fisher, makes
Volleyball a part of the programme in military training
camps, both in the USA and abroad, in the athletic
handbooks written for those responsible for sport and
recreation in the Army and Marines. Thousands of balls
and nets are sent overseas to the U.S. troops and also
presented to the Allied Army's sports directors. More than
16,000 volleyballs are distributed to the American
Expeditionary Corps Forces only. The Inter-Allied Games
are organized in Paris (but Volleyball is not included since
the game is not yet known sufficiently well known in the 18
participating Allied countries to allow for a balanced
competition).

In China, the rules are modified. Play becomes 12 against

12, with matches going to 15 points.
1922 Players in the back line are not permitted to spike.
The "double hit" fault is added to the rules. Scoring
rules are also changed, providing that, with the score
at 14-14, two consecutive points are needed to win.

The maximum number of consecutive ball contacts

per team is set at three. The first National
Federation is founded in Czechoslovakia, quickly
followed by Bulgaria. The first National
Championship is played in the USA, in which only
YMCA teams compete.

Volleyball gains in popularity in Italy too, thanks to

Guido Graziani, a Springfield YMCA graduate.
 A team is to be made up of 6 players on court and 12
1923 official substitutes, and each player has to have a
numbered jersey. The team securing the right to
serve has to rotate clockwise. The serve is to be
made by the player placed on the right on the back
line. If a player touches the adversary’s court during
play it is a foul. Minimum ceiling height is set at 15
feet.

The official birth date of Volleyball in Russia is set at

28 July, 1923, the day a match between men's team
High Art and Theatre Workshop (Vhutemas) and
State Cinema Technical School (GTK) is played in
Moscow.
1924 The Olympic Games programme in Paris includes a
demonstration of "American" sports, with Volleyball
among them.

1925 Two time-outs per game for each team becomes the
rule. There is also a change in the scoring rules for
the most hotly contested sets: at 14-14 to win it is no
longer necessary to score two consecutive points, but
rather to have a two-point advantage. Once again
the ball weight is modified, from 9 to 10 ounces.

Volleyball is played for the first time in the

Netherlands. After a stay at the Seminary of Techny
in Illinois, U.S., Father S. Buis introduces the sport
to the Sint Willibrod mission house in Uden and has
a few courts set up there.
1926 A team reduced to less than 6 players forfeits the
match.

1927 The Japanese Federation is born and nine men's

competitions are organised.

In Russia, there is a "political" reaction by the

Communist Party against the YMCA as a
"capitalistic, bourgeois, and religious" organization,
and it is obliged to leave the country. But Volleyball
is there to stay.

China adopts the nine-player-per-team system, the

same used in Japan.
1928 The U.S. Volleyball Association is founded under
basic YMCA principles as a leisure sport.

1933 The first USSR National Championship is held,

where there are already over 400,000 players. For
Soviet Volleyball, it is the year of enshrinement. In
January, a challenge between Moscow and
Dnepropetrovsk is played on no less important a
stage than that of the Bolshoi Theatre.

A book entitled Volleyball: Man’s Game by Robert

E. Laveaga, published by A S Barnes & Co of New
York, makes an important impact on teaching
methods and scientific training techniques.
Volleyball for Women by Katherine M. Montgomery
is also very useful for teaching the game.
1934 The first concrete steps to establish international
relations in Volleyball are taken during the
International Handball Federation Congress in
Stockholm.

1935 Crosses are to be marked on the floor to determine

player position. Touching the net is to be considered
a foul. An important rule involves spikers: it is
forbidden to step off the court as long as the ball is
in play on the spiker’s side (it had been customary
for spikers waiting for a set to take a running start
from way off and then leap from one foot). In
Tashkent and Moscow, the USSR plays the first
official international matches against Afghanistan.
1937 Multiple ball contacts were permitted in defence
against particularly violent spikes.

The Czechs perfect blocking which is officially

1938 introduced into the rules under the concept of "a
counteraction at the net by one or two adjacent
players." For almost 20 years before, blocking had
been a part of the game but was not spelled out in the
rules. The Czechs are the first (soon followed by the
Russians) to attribute decisive importance to the new
skill, which facilitates the ungrateful task of volleying
defences.
1939 How to push for homogeneous rules throughout the
world? The Annual USVBA Reference Guide and
the Official Rules of the Game of Volleyball gave
useful information on the game and provided a
forum where experiences and ideas emanating from
different sources could be exchanged. During the
War, thousands of these guides were used
throughout the world.

1940 William G. Morgan, the creator of Volleyball, dies at

the age of 68. A man of high moral standards,
Morgan suffered no pangs of jealousy and continued
to follow with enthusiasm the progress of his game,
convinced that real Volleyball, for real athletes,
would be a success.
1941 In several countries, including Italy, experiments are
made with a system of timed play. Two 20-minute
sets are played (with supplementary time in case of a
tie). But after various and prolonged trials, the
experiments are abandoned, but taken up again in
the United States at the close of the Second World
War. Another innovation is time-limit Volleyball,
whereby a game lasts eight minutes of actual play.
To win, a team has to have either a two-point
advantage at the end of the eight minutes or be the
first to score 15 points. But even there, the idea finds
little acceptance.
1942 The ball can be played by any part of the body from
the knees up.

Everywhere from the South Pacific to the Finnish

front, Volleyball draws crowds among troops
engaged in the Second World War, even aboard
aircraft carriers. Volleyball is recommended by
Chiefs of Staff for training the troops, believing it
keeps them in condition, strengthens their morale,
and teaches them how to stay together as a group -
something essential at this point of the War.
1943 During the summer, Mr. Friermood joins the
management of the United States YMCA and
quickly becomes Secretary/Treasurer of the USVBA
and works closely with Dr. Fisher, its President.
Through international YMCA contacts in more than
80 countries and also military personnel around the
world, communications are established and begin to
produce information on the interpretation and
development of Volleyball and those who are
managing it. Correspondence with the Polish
managers during the War draws attention to the
post-war endeavours to establish an international
Volleyball organization.
1945 First postage stamp on a Volleyball subject is issued
in Romania.

1946 In January, the Spartak Prague team goes to play in

Poland, signalling a resumption of contacts after the
War years aimed at creating an international
Volleyball organization. On the occasion of a friendly
match between the Czech and French national teams
on August 26, a meeting is held in Prague between
representatives of the federations of Czechoslovakia,
France, and Poland. The meeting produces the first
official document of the future FIVB, with the
creation of a commission for the organization of the
International Federation, the promotion of a
constituent congress, and the decision to launch a
European or World Championship at an early date.
1947 - Only front-line players are allowed to exchange
positions for a two-player block and spike.
Egypt is the first Arab and African country to organize
Volleyball activities and establish a National Federation.

- From April 18 to 20 in Paris, 14 federations found the

FIVB, with the headquarters in Paris. Frenchman Paul
Libaud is the first President.
- American and European rules of the game are
harmonized. The court is to measure 9 x 18 metres; and
net height is to be 2.43 metres for men and 2.24 for
women.

- Only in Asia, the rules are different: the court has to

measure 21.35 x 10.67 metres, and the net has to be 2.28
high for men and 2.13 for women; there is no rotation of
players and on court there are nine athletes arranged in
three lines.
1948 The first European Championship is held in Rome
and won by Czechoslovakia. After the War, the rules
are rewritten and clarified to make interpretation
easier. In particular, a better definition is given to
the idea of blocking, and service is limited to the
right third of the back court boundary. It is also
made clear that each player has to be in his right
place during service; points scored by the wrong
server are to be nullified; simultaneous contacts by
two players are to be considered one; time-outs are
to last one minute, while time-out due to injury can
last five minutes; and rest time between one game
and another is set at three minutes.
1949 The first Men's World Championship is held in
Prague and won by the USSR. This is also the first
time a setter can penetrate from the back line,
leading to a three-player attack.

1951 At its third Congress, the FIVB decides that a

player's hands can "invade" at the net during
blocking but only in the final phases of spiking.
Furthermore, a back-line player can spike,
providing that he remains in his zone and does not
move up to the front line.

China begins to participate in international

tournaments.
1952 The first Women's World Championship was held in
Moscow and won by the USSR.

1953 At its fourth Congress, the FIVB defines referee

action and terminology.

The Chinese Federation is born.

1954 The Asian Confederation is founded in Manila.

1955 At the FIVB Congress in Florence, the Japanese
Federation adopts the international rules and
commits itself to gradually introducing them in Asia.

The 1st Asian Championship is played in Tokyo; both

6- and 9-player tournaments are scheduled.
Volleyball is put on the programme for the Pan
American Games.

1956 First issue of the official FIVB bulletin is published.

The first truly globe-spanning World Championship
is held in Paris, France (with 24 men's teams from
four continents). Czechoslovakia Men and USSR
Women win the coveted titles.
1960 For the first time, a World Championship (Men's) is
played outside of Europe, in Brazil. USSR claims
victory, as it also does in the women’s event.

1961 The idea of Mini Volleyball is born in East Germany.

1962 The World Championships are played in Moscow.

The USSR Men confirm their status as the best,
while it is a first victory for the Japanese Women’s
team.

1963 The European Confederation is founded on October

21.
1964 New rules on blocking: airborne invasion during
blocking is prohibited, while blockers are permitted
a second hit. The first Olympic Volleyball
tournaments are played in Tokyo during the
Olympic Games from October 13 to 23, with 10
men's teams and 6 women's teams. The gold medal
for the men goes to the USSR, and the women to
Japan.

1965 The first men's World Cup is played in Poland and

won by the USSR.

1966 The first scientific symposium is held in Prague on

the occasion of the men's World Championship, won
by Czechoslovakia.
1967 The first African Continental Championship is
played, and the African Zone Commission is
founded.
The women's World Championship, scheduled a
year after the men's, is played in Tokyo and won
once again by Japan.

1968 The use of antennas to limit the court air space and
facilitate the referee's decision on ball crossing
outside the side line is recommended to the Congress
in Mexico. The USSR take home two Olympic gold
medals.
1969 A Coaches Commission is established. The FIVB
recognizes its fifth Continental Sport Zone
Commission when NORCECA is born in Mexico,
July 26, with the merging of USA, Canada and other
countries joining to form the North Central
American and Caribbean Confederation
(NORCECA). The first NORCECA Championships
take place in Mexico.

In Berlin, East Germany wins the second edition of

the men's World Cup.

1970 The World Championships are held in Bulgaria.

Victorious are the East German men and the USSR
women.
1971 The first FIVB coaching courses are held in Japan
and Egypt.

The FIVB Medical Commission is established.

The sub-commission for Mini Volleyball of the FIVB

Coaches' Commission is established.
1972 The five Sports Zone Commissions (Africa, Asia,
Europe, Norceca, and South America) become
Continental Confederations. The Japanese Men’s
team win the Munich Olympics with playmakers
Nekoda and Matsudaira. Systematic use of its fast
game clinches for the first time the gold medal for an
Asian Country. The Women's tournament is won by
the USSR.

The official rules of Mini Volleyball are established.

The first South American Junior Championships are

held in Rio.
1973 The first Women's World Cup is played in Uruguay
and won by the USSR.

1974 At the FIVB Congress in Mexico City it is decided to

make two changes to be put into force after 1976:
lateral antennas are to be moved to the courtside
boundaries and three ball contacts are to be
permitted after blocking.

During the World Championship, Polish athlete

Wojtowicz amazes everybody by spiking from the
back line. In Mexico City, Poland wins the Men's
gold; while, in Guadalajara, Japan holds on to the
Women's title.
1975 The first Mini Volleyball Symposium is held in
Sweden, with 19 nations participating.

The first Asian Championships are held in Australia.

1976 At the Montreal Olympic Games, Poland confirms

its leadership among the Men’s teams and Japan
among the Women's.

After blocking, not two but three ball contacts are

permitted; the distance between the antennas is
shortened from 9.40 metres to 9 metres.
 The first Junior World Championships are held in
1977 Brazil. The Winners are the USSR Men and South
Korea Women. Kuwait organizes the first Arabian
Championship.

The World Cup is granted to Japan on a permanent

basis for both men and women. Triumphing in Tokyo
are the Soviet Men and the Japanese Women.

1978 The Men's World Championship is held in Rome,

with the USSR winning ahead of Italy. The women
play in Leningrad and it is a surprise first world title
for Cuba, placing ahead of Japan and USSR.
1980 At the Moscow Olympic Games, it was a dual victory
for the USSR.

17th FIVB Congress: the rules of the game were

adopted in three languages: French, English and
Spanish.

1981 World Cup in Tokyo: the USSR win for the men and
China for the women.
1982 Ball pressure is increased from 0.40 to 0.46 kg/cm2.

The Women's World Championship is held in Peru

where, for the first time, China takes the title after
an outstanding and spectacular performance.

The Men's World Championship (in Argentina) is

won by the USSR.

1983 On July 19, the Brazil vs. USSR challenge at Rio de

Janeiro's Maracaná stadium attracts nearly 100,000
spectators.
 The 19th Congress of the FIVB is held in Long
1984 Beach, California; and, after 37 years at the helm,
the founding French President Paul Libaud steps
down and becomes Honorary President. A Mexican
lawyer, Dr. Rubén Acosta H., is elected as the new
President.

The USA win the Men's Olympic gold and the

Chinese Women’s team also claim gold.

At the Los Angeles Olympic Games, the Brazilians

(silver medallists) attract attention with their ability
to make jumping serves. The idea is not new
(Argentina had already tried it at the 1982 World
Championship), but no one has ever seen it used so
effectively before.
After Los Angeles, it is no longer possible to block a
serve, and referees became more permissive in
evaluating defence.

The first International Volleyball Cinema Festival

is held in Perugia.

December 15: FIVB moves its quarters to a

temporary office in Lausanne while preparing its
permanent headquarters in this city.
1985 May 28: for the first time, a Volleyball
representative (FIVB President Dr. Acosta) is named
for an IOC Commission - the prestigious Olympic
Movement Commission.

World Cup in Tokyo: Victory goes to the USA Men,

while China confirms its dominance among the
women.

December 28-31: the first Women's World Gala is

played in China, (two matches in Beijing and
Shanghai). A world All-Star line-up challenges the
Olympic Champion China, which wins both matches
and the Hitachi Cup.
1986 In Paris, USA win the Men's World Championships.
China claim the women's gold medal in Prague.
Beach Volleyball receives official status by the FIVB.

1987 From February 17-22, the first Beach Volleyball

World Championship is played in Ipanema, Brazil.
1988 On May 6, the FIVB inaugurates its new
headquarters in Lausanne.

The Olympic Games in Seoul sees the number of

teams for the men's tournament rise from 10 to 12.
The USA win the men's gold medal; the USSR take
the women's after a dramatic final match against
Peru.

The World Congress approves the turning of the fifth

set into a tiebreak rally-point system in which each
serve is worth a point.

Final scoring per set is limited to 17 points with one

point difference.
The first edition of the FIVB Super Four is held in
Japan, a bi-yearly competition between the three
medallists from the Olympic Games (or the World
Championships). In the first Super Four, the Soviet
Men and Chinese Women re-affirm their superiority.
1989 The year brings the first edition of the Beach
Volleyball World Series (a world circuit) and the
second World Gala in Singapore (men's and
women's All Stars against the Olympic champions).

World Cup in Japan: Cuba Men and Women do the

double. men, Italy places second in the men’s
tournament.

From December 6 to 10, the first World

Championship for Clubs is played in Parma and
won by home team Maxicono.
 The first edition of the men's World League gets underway, a
1990 revolutionary idea for a team sport, with US$1 million prize
money, professional organization and wide TV broadcasting in
a multi-location competition reaching all corners of the world.

The playing formula for the World Championship is changed.

After the qualification phase, play proceeds by direct
elimination matches right up to the finals for first to eighth
place.

Italy wins the first US$1 million World League in Tokyo,

Japan, before a crowd of 10,000 spectators. Italy upset Brazil
in Rio de Janeiro and becomes the first Western European
country to win the Men's Volleyball World Championship.
USSR win the women's world title against China in Beijing.
1991 The first edition of the Women's World Championship for
Clubs is played in Brazil. Winner is Sadia Sao Paulo.

Italy wins the second consecutive World League with US$2

million prize money for the teams. The final is in Milan in front
of 12,000 spectators against Cuba.

1992 Barcelona applauds the first Olympic victory by the Brazil

Men and Cuba Women. After Barcelona, the tiebreak is
modified. At 16-16, play continues until one team has a two-
point advantage.

The World League increases Prize Money to US$3 million and

for the third time Italy win, in front of 9,000 spectators in
Genoa against the Netherlands.

Brazil triumphs in the men's Super Four and Cuba in the

women's.
1993 The first edition of the World Grand Prix with US$1 million in
Prize Money, the women's version of the World League, is
played entirely in Asia and the Final is won by Cuba against
China.

The World League final is held in São Paulo and Brazil win the
title.

During the 101st IOC session in Monte Carlo on September 18,

Beach Volleyball is admitted as a gold medal discipline to the
1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

Debut of another major event: the Grand Champions Cup is to

be played every four years in Japan, alternating on odd years
with the World Cup; participants will be the continental
champions. First gold medal winners are Italy Men and Cuba
Women.
 The fifth edition of the World League offers record Prize Money of $6
1994 million. Italy win for the fourth time, beating Cuba in the Final.

The World Congress in Athens approves new rules to go into force

officially on January 1, 1995: The possibility of contacting the ball
with any part of the body, including the feet; the service zone extended
to the whole 9-meter back line; elimination of the "double hit" fault
on the first touch of a ball coming from the opponent's court; and the
permission to touch the net accidentally when the player in question is
not trying to play the ball.

The Italians win the Men's World Championship for the second time
in a row, equalling a previous USSR award.

At the Women's World Championship in Brazil, 26,000 spectators in

Belo Horizonte attend the matches, setting a new record for women's
event. Later on in São Paulo, 12,000 spectators watch Cuba win its
second world title, this time in a Final against Brazil.
1995 Volleyball is 100 years old. The anniversary is observed
throughout the world with awards ceremonies,
tournaments, and special stamp issues and postmarks.
The FIVB celebrates the event by bringing together
"100 years of Volleyball in 100 days" in a special
calendar of events and publishes a magnificent book,
"100 Years of Global Link."

The World League is again won by the Italians. In the

World Grand Prix, a surprise victory goes to the
United States.

Italy win the Men's World Cup for the first time and
Cuba the women's event for the third time in a row. In
the World Gala, the Italian Men beat the All Stars and
receive the Centennial Cup from IOC President Juan
Antonio Samaranch.
1996 The Atlanta Olympic Games makes Beach Volleyball
the latest Olympic Medal Sport. A newly built 8,000-
seat stadium in the historic area of Clayton County
struggles to accommodate the enthusiastic crowds.
Volleyball competitions have two ad hoc facilities;
the Atlanta convention centre and the Georgia
University Hall in Athens. Netherlands and Italy
show Volleyball at its best and, after five strenuous
sets, the team led by the Van de Goor brothers gives
Netherlands their first gold medal in Volleyball
history.
1998 The Men and Women's World Championships for the
first time go to Japan, and the best Championships in
Volleyball history take place. After matches in 14 cities
watched by over 500,000 spectators, and the highest
TV ratings in Japan since the 1964 Japanese Olympics
gold for women, the Italians, led by Giani and Gardini,
make history with their third consecutive crown,
defeating Yugoslavia. Cuba Women, led by Regla
Torres, set the same record of three crowns for women,
defeating Russia.

The Congress makes a historic change in the rules,

adopting the "Rally Point System" of 25 points for
each of the first four sets and a 15-point fifth tiebreak
set for a two-year testing period. Other changes
immediately adopted are the colour ball, Libero player
and allowance of interactive coaches.
 - The Italians win their eighth World League pennant in 12 editions
2000 defeating Russia.

- Cuba Women defeat Russia once more, 3-2, and win their third
consecutive Olympic gold, setting an all-time record.

- Following the phenomenal success of Beach Volleyball during the

Sydney Olympics, the IOC Executive Committee declares Beach
Volleyball an official part of the Olympic programme.

- Karch Kiraly of the USA and Regla Torres of Cuba are crowned as
the 20th Century Best Volleyball Players.

- Italy Men (1990-98) and Japan Women (1960-1965) are declared the
20th Century Best Volleyball Teams.

- The 20th Century Best Volleyball Coaches titles are awarded to

Yasutaka Matsudaira, Japan Men (1964-1974), and Eugenio George,
Cuba Women (1990-2000).
2001 Beach Volleyball is confirmed as a full Olympic
program sport.

2002 The FIVB World Congress in Buenos Aires adopts a

Code of Conduct and rules against conflicts of
interest and introduces height limit competitions (185
cm for men, 175 cm for women).

Italy win the FIVB Women’s World Championship

for the first time in Berlin.

2003 Brazil Men win all 11 games in Japan to claim the

FIVB World Cup for the first time. China Women do
likewise to win their first World Cup title.
2004 China’s Women win the Olympic Volleyball title in
Athens for the second time following their victory 20
years earlier in Los Angeles. Brazil’s Men also win
for the second time, their first Olympic title being
claimed in 1992.

2006 Dr. Rubén Acosta is unanimously reelected as

President of the FIVB by delegates representing 196
of the FIVB’s 219 National Federations at the 30th
FIVB World Congress in Tokyo, Japan.

The Brazilian Men defend their World

Championship crown by beating Poland in the final
in Tokyo. Russia’s Women win their sixth World
Championship and their first since 1990.
2007 Brazil’s Men defend their FIVB World Cup title in
Japan, while the Italian Women win their first World
Cup title.

Brazil claim the World League for the fifth straight

year and sixth time overall. They pick up a winner's
cheque for US$1 million.

The Netherlands win the World Grand Prix in

Ningbo, China, their first trophy in major FIVB
competition. The Europeans become the sixth team
to win the renowned annual women’s title and snap
Brazil’s run of three straight triumphs.
2008 The FIVB opens it new premises of “Château Les
Tourelles” in May, a gorgeous building by Lake
Geneva in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The 31st FIVB World Congress takes place in Dubai,

United Arab Emirates, in June.

USA Men win the World League before crowning a

magnificent year with Olympic gold in Beijing.

The Brazilian Women do the double as well: Olympic

gold following first place in the World Grand Prix.
Dr. Rubén Acosta makes official his announced
retirement from the Presidency of the FIVB at the
end of the World Congress. It is agreed that Mr.
Jizhong Wei of China, FIVB First Executive Vice
President, is to take over the leadership of the
organisation as President, unanimously elected
until the next elections in 2012, according to the
Congress decision to follow again in four years’
time the Olympiad cycle.
2009 Brazil win their eighth World League as they defeat
Serbia in Belgrade in a pulsating match watched by a
crowd of 22,000 spectators whilst Brazil also pick up
the World Grand Prix, finishing above Russia and
Germany.

Italy’s women follow up their 2007 World Cup win

with claim their first FIVB World Grand Champions
Cup in Japan as Brazil win the men’s competition.
Thank you for listening!