Volleyball at the Summer Paralympics was first held in 1976, when the traditional form of standing volleyball for men was contested and sitting volleyball for men was a demonstration sport. From 1980 through 2000, men's standing and sitting events were contested. The women's sitting volleyball event was introduced in 2004.
World ParaVolley, formerly the World Organization Volleyball for Disabled (WOVD), is an international organization that is for people with physical disabilities. It is affiliated with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). The World Organization Volleyball for Disabled was established in 1981 and was part of the International Sports Organization for Disabled (ISOD). In 1992 the WOVD became its own separate Organization in Barcelona, Spain. The WOVD Headquarters were also established in the Netherlands.
Volleyball at the 2012 Summer Paralympics was held from 30 August to 8 September at the ExCeL Exhibition Centre in London. Two sitting volleyball team events were held, one for men and one for women.
Hadi Rezaeigarkani is an Iranian sitting volleyball coach, and former player with world and Paralympic medals, the most proud sitting volleyball coach in the world, currently as the head coach of Iran's men's sitting volleyball team. He was born in Mashhad, Iran.
The Iran men's national sitting volleyball team represents the Islamic Republic of Iran in international sitting volleyball competitions and friendly matches. The team is one of the dominant forces on the court worldwide. In foreign media, team Iran is colloquially known as the dream team of sitting volleyball.
Iran competed at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 September to 18 September 2016.
Volleyball at the 2016 Summer Paralympics was held from 9 September to 18 September at the Riocentro Pavilion 6 in Rio de Janeiro. Two sitting volleyball team events were held, one for men and one for women.
Morteza Mehrzadselakjani, often referred to as Morteza Mehrzad, is an Iranian volleyball player who plays on the Iran men's national sitting volleyball team. With a height of 2.46 m, he also holds the record for the longest hand in the world with a size of 29 cm. He is known as the tallest living man in Iran and the second tallest living man in the world. He won three gold medals at the 2016 Summer Paralympics, 2020 Summer Paralympics and 2024 Summer Paralympics, is two-time World Para Volleyball champion, three-time gold medalist at the Asian Games with Iran men's national sitting volleyball team, and three-time winner of the Golden Ball award for the best player.
Japan competed as the host nation of the 2020 Summer Paralympics in their capital Tokyo from 24 August to 5 September 2021.
China competed at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan from 24 August to 5 September 2021. This was their tenth consecutive appearance at the Summer Paralympics since 1984. China sent 251 athletes to the Games and competed in 20 of the 22 sports except Equestrian and Wheelchair rugby.
Egypt competed at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan from 25 August to 6 September. This was Egypt's thirteenth appearance at the Summer Paralympics.
Sitting volleyball will be played at the 2019 Parapan American Games. The winner of each tournament will be automatically qualified to participate in the 2020 Summer Paralympics.
Iran competed at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris, France, from 24 August to 5 September 2024. This was their tenth consecutive appearance at the Summer Paralympics since 1988.
Canada competed in the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris, France, from August 28 to September 8, 2024.
Egypt competed at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris, France, from 28 August to 8 September. It is the nation's fourteenth appearance at the Summer Paralympics, since the official debut at the 1972.
The women's tournament in sitting volleyball at the 2024 Summer Paralympics was held between 29 August until 7 September 2024 at the North Paris Arena, Paris.
The 2023 Asia and Oceania Sitting Volleyball Championships was the 5th edition of the championship and decided who took the Asia spot in the Sitting Volleyball tournament at the 2024 Summer Paralympics. The tournament was held in the Kazakh capital of Astana. The winners of the men's tournament was Iran's men, while China won the women's event.
The 2023 Sitting Volleyball World Cup – Women's event was for the first time held in Cairo, Egypt. The winners or highest ranked team not yet qualified, will advance to the 2024 Summer Paralympics. The reigning champions are United States, but they didn't enter this time around. China won the title, dispatching Canada 3–1 in the final.
The 2023 Sitting Volleyball World Cup – Men's event was the 6th edition of this tournament and was, for the first time, held in Cairo, Egypt. The winners or highest ranked team not yet qualified, will advance to the 2024 Summer Paralympics. The defending champions are Iran, and successfully defended their title, overcoming Egypt 3–0 in the final.
The 2024 Women's Sitting Volleyball Paralympic Final Qualification Tournament was held in Dali, China. The winners qualify for the 2024 Summer Paralympics. Slovenia won the event and qualified for the 2024 Summer Paralympics after winning all their games and defeating Iran 3–2 in the final.
