Russia made its first international appearance after FIVB's decision to reinstate Russian national teams in competitions under its aegis. In the first of a series of friendly matches in Ufa, Konstantin Bryansky's selection defeated Iran 3:1 (25:16, 23:25, 25:20, 25:22).
On July 8, FIVB officially announced that Russian athletes and technical staff can once again participate in the world federation's international competitions. Russia's national teams were also reinstated in the world rankings with the points they had when they were frozen in 2022.
A curious detail about the event in Ufa is its status. The matches are not officially presented as a tournament, but as a "series of match encounters." According to "BO Sport," this is why there is no traditional final ranking, medals, or cup. The publication also reports that, according to its sources, FIVB only allowed television broadcasting of Russia's matches, which is why the match between Belarus and Cuba was not broadcast.
The first match of the Russians after the FIVB decision was watched by 2,500 spectators in the Palace of Wrestling in Ufa, which, according to the Russian source, is a volleyball record for the new hall.
Russia started strong against Iran and won the first set 25:16, converting 68% of its attacks. Bryansky also used the match for numerous rotations, giving opportunities to different players and combinations. This affected the play in the second set, which Iran took 25:23.
The Russians again took the initiative in the third set – 25:20, and the most interesting moments came in the fourth set. Iran led 19:15 and seemed close to a tie-break, but the hosts made a comeback. After a strong serving run, better blocking play, and several successful counterattacks, Russia turned the score to 22:20 and closed the match 25:22.
Anton Semishev was the top scorer for the winners with 14 points, Dmitry Lyzik from Lokomotiv Novosibirsk added 12, and Maxim Sapozhkov, who played for Bulgarian Montana, finished with 11. For Iran, Ali Hajipour scored 15 points, Pouria Khanzadeh – 14, and Hagparast – 10.
Russia's performance gains additional value due to the practically non-existent preparation of the national team. Bryansky revealed that the players had only a two-day camp before the matches in Ufa. Initially, no extended camp was planned for this summer at all, and after the decision to reinstate Russia, the plans were not changed so as not to disrupt the clubs' pre-season preparation.
"Before Ufa, we had a two-day camp. Given that, we showed very decent volleyball. I would say we showed about 60% of our maximum," Bryansky commented after the victory.
However, the match in Ufa is not Russia's first encounter with a foreign national team since its exclusion from international competitions in 2022. The Russians organized friendly matches during their isolation as well. Last year, Russia visited Serbia in Belgrade and won 3:1. However, this match took place before FIVB's decision for the official return of Russian volleyball.
This is precisely what distinguishes the current matches in Ufa – they are the men's national team's first international appearance after the July 8 decision, which paved the way for Russia's return to official international competitions.
The next big step has also been determined. Russia will return to the Volleyball Nations League in 2027, with the men's and women's competitions expanding from 18 to 19 teams.
Before that, the Russians continue their series of friendly matches in Ufa. On August 22, Bryansky's team will play against Belarus, and on August 23, they will meet Cuba.
photo: Nikolay Varadinov
