SCAC Women's VolleyballMar 8, 2016 by FloVolleyball Staff
Rio Olympic Volleyball: Who's In, Who's Left?
Rio Olympic Volleyball: Who's In, Who's Left?
With five months left until the 2016 Olympic Games, we look at which teams are in contention for the final five spots in Rio.
By Jon Ackerman
With five months left until the first volleyball is served at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, five spots are still there for the taking on both the men's and women's sides. Who's still in the hunt to snag one? Who's already in? When will the fields be filled?
Here's a breakdown of where the Olympic volleyball qualification process stands entering the summer:
The next two spots are awarded to the top two teams at the FIVB World Cup, an Olympic qualification tournament held one year prior to every Olympics. The U.S. took the title this past September, and was joined by runner-up Italy.
From there, teams are tasked with winning their respective continental confederation's Olympic qualification tournaments. Argentina claimed South America, Russia took Europe, Egypt won Africa, and Cuba collected North America.
The second WOQT will be played June 4-6 in Mexico City, where the final Olympic berth will be on the line for Chile (third from South America), Mexico (third from North America), Tunisia and Algeria (second and third from Africa).
China claimed top honors from the FIVB World Cup, with Serbia finishing as runner-up. The next four qualifiers were Russia (Europe), Argentina (South America), the United States (North America), and Cameroon (Africa).
The final spot from the other women's WOQT will be up for grabs between Colombia (third from South America), Puerto Rico (third from North America), Egypt and Kenya (second and third from Africa). The site has yet to be determined, but the event will conclude no later than June 5.
And then the matches in Rio commence Aug. 6.
With five months left until the first volleyball is served at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, five spots are still there for the taking on both the men's and women's sides. Who's still in the hunt to snag one? Who's already in? When will the fields be filled?
Here's a breakdown of where the Olympic volleyball qualification process stands entering the summer:
MEN
Who's in?
Of the 12 berths available for the Olympic volleyball tournament, the first one always goes to the host nation. So Brazil is in without having to do a thing. The Brazilian men's team has never missed an Olympics, so it almost assuredly would have qualified regardless.The next two spots are awarded to the top two teams at the FIVB World Cup, an Olympic qualification tournament held one year prior to every Olympics. The U.S. took the title this past September, and was joined by runner-up Italy.
From there, teams are tasked with winning their respective continental confederation's Olympic qualification tournaments. Argentina claimed South America, Russia took Europe, Egypt won Africa, and Cuba collected North America.
Who's left?
The five remaining spots will be filled in June through two concurrent World Olympic Qualification Tournaments. Eight teams will compete for four of the berths in Tokyo (May 28-June 5), with one spot guaranteed to the top Asian finisher, as the event doubles as the Asia-Oceania qualifier. Japan (host), China, Iran and Australia (three highest Asian teams in FIVB world ranking) will be eligible for that berth, but will also fight for the other spots with France and Poland (second- and third-placed teams from Europe), Venezuela (second from South America), and Canada (second from North America).The second WOQT will be played June 4-6 in Mexico City, where the final Olympic berth will be on the line for Chile (third from South America), Mexico (third from North America), Tunisia and Algeria (second and third from Africa).
WOMEN
Who's in?
Qualification for the women's Olympic volleyball tournament is identical to the men's. So the Brazilian women are in as the hosts, but that's also a spot they surely would have earned on their own. They're the two-time reigning gold medalists.China claimed top honors from the FIVB World Cup, with Serbia finishing as runner-up. The next four qualifiers were Russia (Europe), Argentina (South America), the United States (North America), and Cameroon (Africa).
Who's left?
Fighting for the four spots at the women's WOQT in Tokyo, which doubles as the Asia-Oceania qualifier, will be Japan (host), South Korea, Thailand and Kazakhstan (three highest Asian teams in FIVB world ranking), the Netherlands and Italy (second and third from European qualifier), Peru (second from South America), and the Dominican Republic (second from North America). That event runs May 14-June 22.The final spot from the other women's WOQT will be up for grabs between Colombia (third from South America), Puerto Rico (third from North America), Egypt and Kenya (second and third from Africa). The site has yet to be determined, but the event will conclude no later than June 5.
And then the matches in Rio commence Aug. 6.