History of Volleyball in Olympics

Brazil defended the Women’s Volleyball Olympic title in 2012, but could not emulate the feat of Soviet Union Volleyball Olympic history to win Men’s title too in the same Olympics. Russia won the Men’s title in 2012. Ana Fernandez of Cuba and Inna Ryskal of Soviet Union has won the competition maximum 4 times each. Check other historical facts about Volleyball in Olympics.

History of Archery in Olympics
History Of Men’s Hockey in Olympics
History of Football in Olympics
History of Women’s Hockey
2012 Medal Tally

Facts

Cuba has won the tournament for three consecutive Olympics.
China won the gold medal in the women’s competition in Los Angeles, their first time participating in an Olympic volleyball competition.
Soviet Union is the only team to have won Men’s and Women’s event in the same Olympics. They have achieved the feat twice (1968 and 1980).

Men’s Champion

4 Soviet Union (1 by Russia in 2012)
3 USA
2 Brazil
1 Japan, Poland, Netherlands, Yugoslavia

Olympic Medal Winners in Men’s Volleyball

1964 Soviet Union (Gold), Czechoslovakia (Silver), Japan (Bronze)
1968 Soviet Union (Gold), Japan (Silver), Czechoslovakia (Bronze)
1972 Japan (Gold), East Germany (Silver), Soviet Union (Bronze)
1976 Poland (Gold), Soviet Union (Silver), Cuba (Bronze)
1980 Soviet Union (Gold), Bulgaria (Silver), Romania (Bronze)
1984 USA (Gold), Brazil (Silver), Italy (Bronze)
1988 USA (Gold), Soviet Union (Silver), Argentina (Bronze)
1992 Brazil (Gold), Netherlands (Silver), USA (Bronze)
1996 Netherlands (Gold), Italy (Silver), Yugoslavia (Bronze)
2000 Yugoslavia (Gold), Russia (Silver), Italy (Bronze)
2004 Brazil (Gold), Italy (Silver), Russia (Bronze)
2008 USA (Gold), Brazil (Silver), Russia (Bronze)
2012 Russia (Gold), Brazil (Silver), Italy (Bronze)

Women’s Champion

4 Soviet Union
2 Japan
3 Cuba
2 China, Brazil

Olympic Medal Winners in Women’s Volleyball

1964 Japan (Gold), Soviet Union (Silver), Poland (Bronze)
1968 Soviet Union (Gold), Japan (Silver), Poland (Bronze)
1972 Soviet Union (Gold), Japan (Silver), (Bronze)
1976 Japan (Gold), Soviet Union (Silver), South Korea (Bronze)
1980 Soviet Union (Gold), East Germany (Silver), Bulgaria (Bronze)
1984 China (Gold), USA (Silver), Japan (Bronze)
1988 Soviet Union (Gold), Peru (Silver), China (Bronze)
1992 Cuba (Gold), Unified Team (Silver), USA (Bronze)
1996 Cuba (Gold), China (Silver), Brazil (Bronze)
2000 Cuba (Gold), Russia (Silver), Brazil (Bronze)
2004 China (Gold), Russia (Silver), Cuba (Bronze)
2008 Brazil (Gold), USA (Silver), China (Bronze)
2012 Brazil (Gold), USA (Silver), Japan (Bronze)