The game of volleyball was invented in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1895.
Inventor William G Morgan was a former student of the inventor of basketball, Canadian teacher James Naismith.
The game was spread by the American armed forces and grew in popularity outside of the United States more than it did within its country of origin.
It became an official Olympic sport in 1964.
RESULTS FROM LAST VOLLEYBALL WORLD CUP HELD IN JAPAN IN 2007:
Men
1 BRAZIL
2 RUSSIA
3 BULGARIA
Women
1 ITALY
2 BRAZIL
3 USA
RESULTS FROM ATHENS OLYMPICS IN 2004
Men's Volleyball (finals)
1 BRAZIL
2 ITALY
3 RUSSIA
Women's Volleyball (finals)
1 CHINA
2 RUSSIA
3 CUBA
TEAMS INVOLVED IN 2008 OLYMPIC FINALS
Men's:
Group A: USA (A1), Italy (A2), Bulgaria (A3), China (A4),Japan (A5), Venezuela (A6).
Group B: Serbia (B1), Brazil (B2), Poland (B3), Germany (B4), Egypt (B5), Russia (B6).
Women's:
Group A: Japan (A1), Venezuela (A2), Poland (A3), Cuba (A4), China(A5), USA (A6).
Group B: Algeria (B1), Serbia (B2), Italy (B3), Russia (B4), Kazakstan (B5), Brizil (B6).
