Volleyball

History of Volleyball

The first men’s World Championship was held in Prague in 1949.

The first Olympic volleyball tournament took place in Tokyo in 1964 with ten men’s and six women’s teams. The Soviet men’s team and Japanese women’s team won the first Olympic gold medals.

The 1964 and 1968 tournaments used a round-robin format.

The USSR achieved major Olympic success: its women won in 1968, 1972, 1980 and 1988, and its men in 1964, 1968 and 1980. Japan’s women won in 1964 and 1976, and its men in 1972.

The Olympic programme awards one men’s and one women’s medal set.

Rules of Volleyball

The objective is to send the ball over the net so that it lands in the opponent’s court and to prevent the opponent from doing the same. A team has three contacts to return the ball. Play begins with a serve and continues until the ball lands, goes out or a team commits an error. The rally-winning team scores a point. If the receiving team wins the rally, it also gains the right to serve and rotates one position clockwise.

Volleyball in Kazakhstan

Since 1991, Kazakhstan’s indoor and beach volleyball teams have achieved consistent international success.

Kazakhstan’s women’s indoor team has won medals at the Asian Championships, Asian Games and Asian Cup and has competed at the Olympic Games and World Championships.

The team has also performed successfully in the World Grand Prix. Kazakhstan’s beach teams have won Asian Championships and Asian Games titles and competed at world championships.