RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Hosts Brazil can consider themselves amongst the favorites to medal in Rio in volleyball.
They are the defending champions in the women's event having defeated the United States by identical 3-1 scorelines in the finals in Beijing in 2008 and London 4 years later.
In the men's event, they were gold medalists in 1992 and 2004 but runners-up in 2008 and 2012. Russia's mens triumph in 2012 was the country's first since the Soviet Union took gold in the 1980 Games in Moscow.
The Soviets and Russia remain the most successful at the Olympics with 5 gold medals in both the men's and women's tournament. Brazil men's team are the only country to have played in all 13 Games since the sport was admitted to the Olympics in 1964.
Despite their success at the Olympics, however, the Brazil women's team have never won a world title. Cuba's women have been Olympic gold medalists on 3 occasions -- 1992, 1996 and 2000. They also claimed 5 world titles during their 1990s heyday.
The Olympic volleyball competition will be held at the 12,000-capacity Maracanazinho arena. Meaning "Little Maracana," the stadium sits in the shadow of the city's famed football ground and was built in the 1950s. Considered the spiritual home of Brazilian volleyball, the Maracanazinho has also hosted rock concerts featuring the likes of Genesis, Megadeth and The Police.
While not enjoying the media frenzy associated with their bikini-clad counterparts of beach volleyball, indoor players can carve out lucrative careers. South Korea's Kim Yeon-koung will be key to her country's hopes of a medal in Rio. The 28-year-old stands at an impressive 6-foot-3 and has spent the last 5 seasons playing club volleyball in Turkey at Fenerbahce. She is believed to have made more than $2 million USD last year.
The tournament will be played out against a background of controversy surrounding the Cuban men's squad after 6 players were arrested in Finland over accusations of a suspected rape. Team captain Rolando Cepeda Abreu, 27, as well as players Dariel Albo Miranda, 24, Abrahan Alfonso Gavilán, 21, Ricardo Calvo Manzano, 19, Luis Sosa Sierra, 21, and Osmany Uriarte Mestre, 21, will remain in custody while police investigate the claims, according to court documents.
The players are accused over the alleged rape earlier in July of a Finnish woman at a hotel in the southern town of Tampere where the Cuban team was staying during Volleyball World League games. All 6 players, who have pleaded not guilty, are likely to miss the Olympics. – Rappler.com