Legendary Bulgarian setter Dimitar Karov has taken his place among the immortals in the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in Holyoke, Massachusetts – the birthplace of the sport.

Born in 1943, Karov remains in history as one of the most intelligent and technical setters Europe has ever produced. With CSKA, he won five championship titles and three national cups, and in 1969, he reached the pinnacle of European club volleyball with a triumph in the European Champions Cup.

In the national team, Karov was the engine and strategist of the formation that participated in three Olympic Games – Tokyo 1964, Mexico 1968, and Munich 1972 – and reached the historic silver medal at the World Championship in Sofia in 1970. Although only 169 cm tall, he became a symbol that a true setter is not measured by height, but by intellect, technique, and heart. Karov didn't just set – he orchestrated every game.

His induction into the Hall of Fame is not just a personal triumph, but a recognition of the strength of the Bulgarian volleyball school. With his name, Bulgaria now has four representatives alongside legends such as Karch Kiraly, Lorenzo Bernardi, and Sergey Tetyukhin.

“For me, this is a wonderful, sentimental and happy moment – a kind of culmination of my sports career. To be alongside the best and most decorated athletes who have won world and Olympic titles is a tremendous honor and joy,” Dimitar Karov shared after the official ceremony.

Together with him in the Class of 2025 of the International Hall of Fame, Ivan Miljkovic (Serbia), Rosa Garcia Rivas (Peru), Francesca Piccinini (Italy), Laura Ludwig (Germany), Kent Steffes (USA), Juergen Wagner (Germany), Barry Kausner (Australia) and Guillermo Willy Paredes (Argentina) were also inducted.

photos:volleyhall.org