Tough Task for Iran

The national volleyball team will start on Wednesday its campaign in the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship co-hosted by Italy and Bulgaria.

Iran is in Pool D along with Poland, Bulgaria, Cuba, Finland and Puerto Rico, IRNA reported.

Poland is the latest champion of the games. During the past 18 editions, it has won the title twice and the bronze medal twice. Host Bulgaria has the silver medal from the 1970 games as well as four bronze medals. Cuba too has four medals (two silver and two bronze).

Finland, Puerto Rico and Iran are yet to win a medal. However, in the world ranking, Poland stands above Iran and the rest are way below. Poland is third on the table and Iran eighth. Bulgaria is ranked 14th, Cuba has the 16th spot, Finland is 18th and Puerto Rico sits at the 29th place.

Volleyballers will have their opening match against Puerto Rico in Varna, Bulgaria, on Wednesday. On September 13 Iran will meet Bulgaria and two days later line up against Cuba. The two last matches in the group stage will be with Poland on September 17 and Finland the next day.

So far the best position in the history of the games for Iran is the sixth place at the 2014 Poland Championship under the management of Serbian Slobodan Kovač. Kovač leads Slovenia in the upcoming tournament.

Debutant Slovenia took measured steps to warm up for the championship by holding a four-team tournament just days before the world event.

Slovenia took on three of the world’s best teams, Canada, Iran and the US at the Ljubljana Volleyball Challenge Tournament held in the country’s capital, September 6-8.

The event was a timely preparation for Iran. Igor Kolaković warmed up the team in three matches but lost them all.

 Second Most Important

Held every four years, FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship is the second most important event after the Olympic Games. A total of 24 teams in four pools will play in venues in Bulgaria and Italy with the last six matches in Turin, Italy.

Argentina, Belgium, Dominican Republic, Italy, Japan and Slovenia are in Pool A. Japan is the most decorated team from Asia with two consecutive bronze medals in 1970 Bulgaria and 1974  Soviet Union games.

In Pool B there is three-time champion Brazil as well as Canada, China, Egypt, France and the Netherlands.

Pool C comprises six time winner Russia, winner of 1986 France Championship, the US 2010 bronze winner Serbia, Tunisia, Cameroon and Australia.

Russia is the most honored team in the history of the championship with six gold, three silver and 3 bronze -- winning medals in 12 editions out of 18 -- trailed by Brazil with three titles and two runners up. In third place is Italy with three gold and one silver medal.

Nonetheless, all the six titles for Russia go back to the former Soviet Union. The country has not won any title after the USSR became history in 1991.