Paris 2024: Sitting volleyball’s big four face fresh challenges

Sitting volleyball powerhouses Islamic Republic of Iran and Bosnia and Herzegovina are again expected to challenge for the men's gold medal at Paris 2024, with China and USA the dominant forces in the women's event.

China won the women's sitting volleyball title on the first three occasions it was held between 2004 and 2012, but have been beaten in the final by USA in the last two events.

In the men's, Islamic Republic of Iran have won a record seven titles, including the last two, with Bosnia and Herzegovina winning twice.  

Expect these four countries to lead the way again this time around at the North Paris Arena – a temporary, modular sports hall that will be dismantled after the games, after also hosting Olympic boxing and modern pentathlon fencing during Paris 2024.  Competition will take place between 29 August and 7 September.

Eight men’s sides (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Egypt, France, Germany, Islamic Republic of Iran, Kazakhstan, Ukraine) and eight women’s (Brazil, Canada, China, France, Italy, Rwanda, Slovenia, USA) will battle it out for gold medals, with over 190 athletes in action.  

Volleyball has a rich Paralympic history. It was added to the programme in 1976, with standing volleyball taking place and sitting volleyball as a demonstration sport. From 1980 to 2000, both standing and sitting events were contested for men, with sitting volleyball added for women in 1980. 

Five stories to follow… 

Superpower Iran to reach new heights?  

Sitting volleyball is a sport that has caught the imagination of people in Islamic Republic of Iran. “Brazil always want their football team to be the world champions, our people in Iran also want and expect our men’s sitting volleyball team to remain at the top of this sport in the world,” said their NPC’s secretary general, Mohammad Tabe. 

This support has led to great growth for the sport in Islamic Republic of Iran, who have a modern, science-led training set up to keep them at the top of the game. 

They also benefit from one of the Paralympic world’s most famous athletes: 8ft 1in tall Morteza Mehrzadselakjani, who boasts an unbeatable reach and block.

“Sitting volleyball changed my life,” he said. “People are so kind and being recognised has become natural for me. We are a good team and expectations are so high, but this is natural.”

Can they do it yet again?  

USA aim for three-peat

The USA women’s sitting volleyball team is ranked no.1 in the world, and has dominated the sport since capturing the Paralympic gold medal for the first time at Rio 2016. They went through 2023 with an impeccable 9-0 winning record and will arrive in Paris as the strongest of favourites. 

For their much-feted coach, Bill Hamiter, who has overseen the team for nearly 15 years, keeping the success machine rolling is a huge challenge. “It’s trying to find what those motivating factors are, not just as a team, but for those individual athletes,” he said.

“What are you trying to accomplish? What do you want to do? How does it affect you personally? Those types of things.” 

Brazil relish formidable challenge 

Brazil were bronze medallists in the women’s event back at Tokyo 2020, but went on to become World Champions a year later, winning the 2022 World ParaVolley title.  
 
One of their stars is Luiza Fiorese, who went from academia to becoming a Para medallist. “I decided to study journalism so I could still be near sports. When I tried it (sitting volleyball), I had an opportunity to know the sport better and I just fell in love with it,” she said. 
 
Now the Brazilians, armed with newfound confidence, face the daunting task of trying to beat China and USA to that gold. Teamwork is key, said Fiorese. “We all share the same love for sitting volleyball. It’s all about the sport,” she said. 

Jusufovic goes again  

Ermin Jusufovic is a legend of Bosnian and Herzegovinian Para sport, having made it onto the podium of the last five editions of the Paralympics – including two gold medals.  
 
Now 43, he has made huge contributions to the development of Para sport in his homeland. And 20 years on from his debut gold at Athens 2004, he is just as hungry as ever for victory.

“Every person with an impairment fights every day,” he said. “Every day is a new battle, a new game. I have never struggled to find motivation.” 

Ukraine and Slovenia return to Paras 

Two eastern European outfits have made big impressions during qualifying- Slovenia’s women, and Ukraine’s men.  
 
The Slovenians were superb in qualifying to clinch their first Paralympics trip since London 2012. “Slovenia is such a small country so even just to form a team is a difficult process,” said captain Lena Gabrscek. “We did a great job, thanks to our support team, our coaches, everyone who believed in us. The most important thing is we believed in ourselves.” 
 
Ukraine were brilliant as they beat USA on the road to qualification, to make their first appearance since Rio 2016, where they finished fifth. “Our new players are performing well and we are training really hard. This will be important as we prepare for Paris,” said captain Denys Bytchenko.