| Volleyball at the Summer Paralympics | |
|---|---|
  Standing (1976–2000) / Sitting (1980–present) | |
| Governing body | World ParaVolley |
| Events | 2 (men: 1; women: 1) |
| Games | |
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. [1] The women's sitting volleyball event was introduced in 2004.
Men's sitting volleyball medal winners for every Summer Games was as follows:
Men's standing volleyball medal winning for every Summer Games as follows:
| Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 |  Israel |  Great Britain |  Finland |
| 1980 | Israel |  Poland |  West Germany |
| 1984 | Israel | West Germany |  France |
| 1988 | West Germany | Israel | Poland |
| 1992 | Germany | Poland | Finland |
| 1996 | Germany |  Slovakia | Poland |
| 2000 | Germany |  Canada | Slovakia |
Women's sitting volleyball medal winning for every Summer Games as follows:
Both men's and women's sitting and standing volleyball medal results counted where applicable. Exclude 1976 men sitting that was a demonstration sport.
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Iran (IRI) | 8 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| 2 | Germany (GER) | 4 | 2 | 3 | 9 |
| 3 |  China (CHN) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| 4 |  United States (USA) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 5 | Israel (ISR) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 6 |  Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| 7 |  Netherlands (NED) | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| 8 | Poland (POL) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 9 | Canada (CAN) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
 Norway (NOR) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Slovakia (SVK) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
 Sweden (SWE) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 13 | Great Britain (GBR) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 RPC (RPC) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 15 |  Egypt (EGY) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Finland (FIN) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | |
| 17 |  Brazil (BRA) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 18 |  Czechoslovakia (TCH) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| France (FRA) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Russia (RUS) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Ukraine (UKR) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Yugoslavia (YUG) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals (22 entries) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 75 | |
| Team |  1976 |  1980 |  1984 |  1988 |  1992 |  1996 |  2000 |  2004 |  2008 | 2012 | 2016 |  2020 |  2024 |
| Netherlands |  | | |  | | 4th | 5th | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 West Germany | | - | | 6th | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 Finland |  | 4th | - | | 4th | | | 5th | - | - | - | - | - |
 Sweden | - | | | 7th | 7th | 9th | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 Yugoslavia | - | | 5th | 4th | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 Norway | - | 5th | 6th | | 5th | | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 Egypt | - | 6th | 7th | 9th | 8th | 6th | 4th | | 4th | 5th | | 5th | |
 Luxembourg | - | 7th | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| United States | - | - | 8th | 10th | 11th | 11th | 12th | 6th | - | - | 8th | - | - |
 Iran | - | - | - | | | | | | | | | | |
 Hungary | - | - | - | 5th | 6th | 6th | 8th | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| South Korea | - | - | - | 8th | - | - | 10th | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Germany | - | - | - | - | | 5th | 6th | 4th | - | | 6th | 6th | 4th |
 Unified Team (EUN) | - | - | - | - | 9th | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 Iraq | - | - | - | - | 10th | - | - | - | 7th | - | - | - | - |
| Spain | - | - | - | - | 12th | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 Argentina | - | - | - | - | - | 12th | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
 Russia | - | - | - | - | - | 10th | - | - | | 4th | - | - | - |
 Ukraine | - | - | - | - | - | 7th | - | - | - | - | 5th | - | 7th |
 Kazakhstan | - | - | - | - | - | 8th | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5th |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina | - | - | - | - | - | - | | | | | | | |
 Libya | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7th | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Japan | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8th | 7th | 8th | 8th | - | - | - |
| Australia | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11th | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Greece | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8th | - | - | - | - | - |
| China | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5th | 7th | 7th | 7th | - |
| Brazil | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6th | 6th | 4th | 4th | 6th |
| Great Britain | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8th | - | - | - |
 Rwanda | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9th | - | - | - |
 Morocco | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10th | - | - | - |
| RPC (RPC) | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | | - |
| France | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8th |
| Total teams | 3 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Team | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | 2024 |
| China | | | | | | |
| United States | | | | | | |
| Netherlands | | | 4th | 6th | - | - |
 Slovenia | 4th | 4th | 6th | - | - | 6th |
| Finland | 5th | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ukraine | 6th | 5th | | 4th | - | - |
| Japan | - | 8th | 7th | - | 8th | - |
 Lithuania | - | 6th | - | - | - | - |
 Latvia | - | 7th | - | - | - | - |
| Brazil | - | - | 5th | | | 4th |
| Great Britain | - | - | 7th | - | - | - |
| Canada | - | - | - | 7th | 4th | |
| Iran | - | - | - | 5th | - | - |
| Rwanda | - | - | - | 8th | 7th | 7th |
| RPC | - | - | - | - | 5th | - |
 Italy | - | - | - | - | 6th | 5th |
| France | - | - | - | - | - | 8th |
| Total teams | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Team | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 |
 Israel | | | | | | 6th | 6th |
| Great Britain | | 4th | 4th | 5th | 7th | 7th | - |
| Finland | | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Canada | 4th | - | 5th | - | - | - | |
| Egypt | - | 5th | - | - | - | - | |
 Poland | - | | - | | - | | 5th |
| West Germany | - | | | | - | - | - |
| France | - | - | | - | 5th | 5th | - |
| United States | - | - | 6th | 6th | 4th | 4th | 4th |
 Myanmar | - | - | 7th | - | - | - | - |
| South Korea | - | - | - | 4th | - | - | - |
| Germany | - | - | - | - | | | |
 Czechoslovakia | - | - | - | - | | - | - |
| Spain | - | - | - | - | 8th | - | - |
 Slovakia | - | - | - | - | - | | |
| Czech Republic | - | - | - | - | - | 8th | - |
 Cambodia | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7th |
| Australia | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8th |
| Total teams | 4 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
Volleyball players who have won at least two gold medals. Athletes in bold are athletes who are still active.
| No. | Athlete | Country | Years | Games | Gender | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaa Zirahi | Iran (IRI) | 2000-2024 | 7 | M | 5 | 2 | 0 | 7 | [4] |
| 2 | Davoud Alipourian | Iran (IRI) | 2004-2024 | 6 | M | 4 | 2 | 0 | 6 | [5] |
| 3 | Ramezan Salehi Hajikolaei | Iran (IRI) | 2004-2024 | 6 | M | 4 | 2 | 0 | 6 | [6] |
| 2 | Ali Kashfia | Iran (IRI) | 1988–2000 | 4 | M | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| 3 | Jalil Imeri | Iran (IRI) | 1996-2012 | 5 | M | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 | |
| 4 | Ali Golkar | Iran (IRI) | 1992-2004 | 4 | M | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | |
| 5 | Hadi Rezaei | Iran (IRI) | 1988-1996 | 3 | M | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| 6 | Ahmad Shivani | Iran (IRI) | 1988-1996 | 3 | M | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| 7 | Parviz Firouzi | Iran (IRI) | 1992-2000 | 3 | M | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| 8 | Ali Akbar Salavatian | Iran (IRI) | 1992-2000 | 3 | M | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| 9 | Majid Soleimani | Iran (IRI) | 1992-2000 | 3 | M | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| 10 | Sabahudin Delalić | Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) | 2000-2016 | 5 | M | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | |
| 11 | Asim Medić | Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) | 2000-2016 | 5 | M | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | |
| 12 | Dževad Hamzić | Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) | 2000-2016 | 5 | M | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | |
| 13 | Adnan Manko | Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) | 2000-2016 | 5 | M | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | |
| 14 | Ismet Godinjak | Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) | 2000-2016 | 5 | M | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | |
| 15 | Eliezer Kalina | Israel (ISR) | 1976-1988 | 4 | M | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | |
| 16 | Hagai Zamir | Israel (ISR) | 1976-1988 | 4 | M | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | |
| 17 | Igal Pazi | Israel (ISR) | 1976-1980, 1988 | 3 | M | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | |
| 18 | Johan Reekers | Netherlands (NED) | 1980-1992 | 4 | M | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Volleyball at the 2004 Summer Paralympics was staged at the Helliniko Fencing Hall from 21 to 27 September. Two sitting volleyball team events were held, one for men and one for women. The sport is performed sitting down, on a smaller court with a lower net.
Sitting volleyball is a form of volleyball for athletes with a disability organized by World ParaVolley. As opposed to standing volleyball, sitting volleyball players must sit on the floor to play.
Volleyball at the 2008 Summer Paralympics was held in the China Agricultural University Gymnasium from 7 September to 15 September. Two sitting volleyball team events were held, one for men and one for women.
The Winter Paralympic Games is an international multi-sport event where athletes with physical disabilities compete in snow and ice sports. The event includes athletes with mobility impairments, amputations, blindness, and cerebral palsy. The Winter Paralympic Games are held every four years directly following the Winter Olympic Games and hosted in the same city. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) oversees the Games. Medals are awarded in each event: with gold for first place, silver for second, and bronze for third, following the tradition that the Olympic Games began in 1904.
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.
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.
China has qualified to send athletes to the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 7 September to 18 September 2016. Sports China competed in include blind football, archery, boccia, cycling, goalball, judo, paracanoeing, sitting volleyball and wheelchair basketball.
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.
Two sitting volleyball team events were held at the 2020 Summer Paralympics, one for men and one for women. They were held at the Makuhari Messe in Tokyo, Japan.
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.
Iran competed at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan, from 24 August to 5 September 2021. This was their ninth consecutive appearance at the Summer Paralympics since 1988.
Bosnia and Herzegovina competed at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan, from 24 August to 5 September 2021. This was their seventh consecutive appearance at the Summer Paralympics since 1996.
Italy competed at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan, from 24 August to 5 September 2021. This was their sixteenth consecutive appearance at the Summer Paralympics since 1960. An analysis by Michelina Manzillo reports that Italy ranked as the top country in the European Union for the number of medals won at the Tokyo Paralympic Games.
Canada competed at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan, from 24 August to 5 September 2021.
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.
Rwanda competed at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris, France, from 28 August to 8 September 2024. It was the nation's seventh consecutive appearance at the Summer Paralympics, since the nation's debut at 2000.
| Summer sports | |
|---|---|
| Winter sports | |
| Discontinued sports | |
| Demonstration sports | |
