# Water polo at the 1948 Summer Olympics

Final results for the water polo tournament at the 1948 Summer Olympics played at Finchley Lido.

## Medal summary

| Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| Italy (ITA) Gildo Arena Emilio Bulgarelli Pasquale Buonocore Aldo Ghira Mario Majoni Geminio Ognio Gianfranco Pandolfini Tullo Pandolfini Cesare Rubini | Hungary (HUN) Jenő Brandi Oszkár Csuvik Dezső Fábián Dezső Gyarmati Endre Győrfi Miklós Holop László Jeney Dezső Lemhényi Károly Szittya István Szívós | Netherlands (NED) Cor Braasem Hennie Keetelaar Nijs Korevaar Joop Rohner Frits Ruimschotel Piet Salomons Frits Smol Hans Stam Ruud van Feggelen |

## Results
### Round One

In the first round each team in a group played each other team in the same group. The placings were determined on points. If the points were equal, then the better goal average decided. The first two teams of each group were qualified for the second round, while the third placed team was eliminated.
Group A
| Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | | | |
| 1. | Belgium (BEL) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 5 | 3 | X | 4:4 | 10:1 |
| 2. | United States (USA) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4:4 | X | 7:0 |
| 3. | Uruguay (URU) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 1:10 | 0:7 | X |
Group B
| Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | | | |
| 1. | Sweden (SWE) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 4 | X | 4:1 | 6:1 |
| 2. | Spain (ESP) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 1:4 | X | 5:1 |
| 3. | Switzerland (SUI) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 1:6 | 1:5 | X |
Group C
| Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | | | |
| 1. | Netherlands (NED) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 1 | 4 | X | 12:1 | 14:0 |
| 2. | India (IND) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 16 | 2 | 1:12 | X | 7:4 |
| 3. | Chile (CHI) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 21 | 0 | 0:14 | 4:7 | X |
Group D
| Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | | | |
| 1. | Italy (ITA) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 3 | X | 4:4 | 9:0 |
| 2. | Yugoslavia (YUG) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 4:4 | X | 12:3 |
| 3. | Australia (AUS) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 0 | 0:9 | 3:12 | X |
Group E
| Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | | | |
| 1. | Hungary (HUN) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 4 | 4 | X | 5:2 | 11:2 |
| 2. | Egypt (EGY) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 2:5 | X | 3:3 |
| 3. | Great Britain (GBR) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 1 | 2:11 | 3:3 | X |
Group F
| Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | | | |
| 1. | France (FRA) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 4 | X | 4:1 | 7:1 |
| 2. | Argentina (ARG) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 1:4 | X | 6:2 |
| 3. | Greece (GRE) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 1:7 | 2:6 | X |

### Round Two

In the second round each team in a group played each other team in the same group unless they had met in a previous round. In this case the previous result stood and was carried forward to this group. So in each group only three matches had to be played. The placings were determined on points. If the points were equal, then the better goal average decided. The first two teams of each group were qualified for the semi-finals, while the third placed team was eliminated.
The results which are carried forward from the first round are shown in italics.
Group G
| Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | | | |
| 1. | Sweden (SWE) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 3 | X | 1:1 | 7:0 |
| 2. | Belgium (BEL) | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1:1 | X | 4:4 |
| 3. | United States (USA) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 0:7 | 4:4 | X |
Group H
| Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | | | |
| 1. | Netherlands (NED) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 3 | 4 | X | 5:2 | 12:1 |
| 2. | Spain (ESP) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 2:5 | X | 11:1 |
| 3. | India (IND) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 23 | 0 | 1:12 | 1:11 | X |
Group I
| Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | | | |
| 1. | Italy (ITA) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 3 | X | 4:3 | 4:4 |
| 2. | Hungary (HUN) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 3:4 | X | 3:1 |
| 3. | Yugoslavia (YUG) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 4:4 | 1:3 | X |
Group J
| Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | | | |
| 1. | France (FRA) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 3 | X | 3:3 | 4:1 |
| 2. | Egypt (EGY) | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 3:3 | X | 4:4 |
| 3. | Argentina (ARG) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 1:4 | 4:4 | X |

### Semi-finals

As in the second round each team in a group played each other team in the same group unless they had met in a previous round. In this case the previous result stood and was carried forward to this group. So in each group only three matches had to be played. The placings were determined on points. If the points were equal, then the better goal average decided. The first two teams of each group were qualified for the final round, while the third and fourth placed team were eliminated and took part in a consolation tournament.
The results which are carried forward from the previous rounds are shown in italics.
Group K
| Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | | | | |
| 1. | Netherlands (NED) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 8 | 5 | X | 3:3 | 5:3 | 5:2 |
| 2. | Belgium (BEL) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3:3 | X | 1:1 | 4:1 |
| 3. | Sweden (SWE) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 3:5 | 1:1 | X | 4:1 |
| 4. | Spain (ESP) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 2:5 | 1:4 | 1:4 | X |
Group L
| Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | | | | |
| 1. | Italy (ITA) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 6 | 6 | X | 4:3 | 5:2 | 5:1 |
| 2. | Hungary (HUN) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 10 | 4 | 3:4 | X | 5:4 | 5:2 |
| 3. | France (FRA) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 13 | 1 | 2:5 | 4:5 | X | 3:3 |
| 4. | Egypt (EGY) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 13 | 1 | 1:5 | 2:5 | 3:3 | X |

### Final round

As in all other rounds each team in the final played each other team unless they had met in a previous round. In this case the previous result stood and was carried forward to the final. So in the final only four matches had to be played. The placings were determined on points. If the points were equal, then the better goal average decided.
The results which are carried forward from the previous rounds are shown in italics.
Final Group
| Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | | | | |
| | Italy (ITA) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 7 | 6 | X | 4:3 | 4:2 | 4:2 |
| | Hungary (HUN) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 3:4 | X | 4:4 | 3:0 |
| | Netherlands (NED) | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 11 | 2 | 2:4 | 4:4 | X | 3:3 |
| 4. | Belgium (BEL) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 2:4 | 0:3 | 3:3 | X |
Group for fifth to eighth places - consolation tournament
| Rank | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts | | | | |
| 5. | Sweden (SWE) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 5 | X | 1:1 | 3:2 | 4:1 |
| 6. | France (FRA) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 1:1 | X | 3:3 | 2:1 |
| 7. | Egypt (EGY) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 2:3 | 3:3 | X | 3:1 |
| 8. | Spain (ESP) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 1:4 | 1:2 | 1:3 | X |

## Participating nations

Each country was allowed to enter a team of 11 players and they all were eligible for participation.
A total of 155(*) water polo players from 18 nations competed at the London Games:
* Argentina (7)
* Australia (10)
* Belgium (8)
* Chile (8)
* Egypt (8)
* France (11)
* Great Britain (8)
* Greece (8)
* Hungary (10)
* India (10)
* Italy (9)
* Netherlands (9)
* Spain (8)
* Switzerland (7)
* Sweden (10)
* United States (8)
* Uruguay (8)
* Yugoslavia (9)
(*) NOTE: There are only players counted, which participated in one game at least.
Not all reserve players are known.

## Summary

| Place | Nation |
| 1 | Italy (ITA) |
| | Coach: Pino Valle reserve players Luigi Fabiano Alfredo Toribolo |
| 2 | Hungary (HUN) |
| | Jenő Brandi (Vasas Budapest) Oszkár Csuvik (MTK) Dezső Fábián (FTC) Dezső Gyarmati (UTE) Endre Győrfi (MAFC) Miklós Holop (MAFC) László Jeney (Vasas Budapest) Dezső Lemhényi (UTE) Károly Szittya (UTE) István Szívós (MTK)Pál Pók (Egri Szakszervezeti TK) |
| 3 | Netherlands (NED) |
| | Coach: Frans Kuypers reserve players Joop Cabout Theo Smael |
| 4 | Belgium (BEL)Henri De Pauw Théo-Léo De Smet Émile D'Hooge Fernand Isselé Georges Leenheere Alphonse Martin Paul Rigaumont Willy Simons |
| 5 | Sweden (SWE)Folke Eriksson (Västerås SS) Knut Gadd (IF Elfsborg) Erik Holm (SoIK Hellas) Olle Johansson (IF Elfsborg) Åke Julin (Stockholms KK) Rolf Julin (Stockholms KK) Arne Jutner (SoIK Hellas) Rune Öberg (SoIK Hellas) Olle Ohlson (SoIK Hellas) Roland Spångberg (SoIK Hellas) |
| 6 | France (FRA)François Débonnet Maurice Lefèbvre Roger Le Bras Marco Diener Robert Himgi Roger Dewasch Jacques Berthe René Massol Jacques Viaene Émile Bermyn Marcel Spilliaert |
| 7 | Egypt (EGY)Ahmed Fouad Nessim Taha El-Gamal Mohamed Khadry Mohamed Haraga Dorri Abdel Kader Abdel Aziz Khalifa Samir Gharbo Mohamed Hemmat |
| 8 | Spain (ESP)Coach: Bandy Zolyomy Juan Serra José Pujol Carlos Falt Carlos Martí Francisco Castillo Agustín Mestres Valentín Sabate Angel SabataFederico Salvadores |
| 9 | Yugoslavia (YUG)Juraj Amšel Veljko Bakašun Marko Brainović Luka Ciganović Ivo Giovanelli Božo Grkinić Zdravko Kovačić Ivica Kurtini Ivo ŠtakulaŽeljko Radić Saša Strmac |
| 10 | Argentina (ARG)Osvaldo Codaro Anibál Filiberti Rubén Maidana Hugo Prono Ladislao Szabo Marcelo Visentín Carlos VisentínLuis Díez Ladislao Fijaldauskas Mario Sebastián Francisco Trimboli |
| 11 | United States (USA)Kenneth Beck Bob Bray Ralph Budelman Lee Case Devere Christensen Harold Dash Dixon Fiske Edwin KnoxJohn Miller Donald Tierney Frank Walton |
| 12 | India (IND)Gora Seal Samarandra Chatterjee Ajoy Chatterjee Suhas Chatterjee Dwarkadas Murarji Durga Das Janini Dass Sachin Nag Isaac Mansoor Jahan Ahir |
| 13 | Great Britain (GBR)Charles Brand Roy Garforth Robert Gentleman Peter Hardie Ian Johnson Trevor Lewis David Murray Reg PotterJohn Jones Robert Mitchell G. F. Weber |
| 14 | Switzerland (SUI)André Grosjean Edouard Hauser Georges Hauser Heinrich Keller Erwin Klumpp Tristan Sauer René Weibel |
| 15 | Greece (GRE)Alexandros Monastiriotis Ioannis Papstefanou Dimitrios Zografos Panagiotis Provatopoulos Dimosthenis Stambolis Emmanouil Papadopoulos Nikolaos Melanofeidis Rikhardos Brousalis |
| 16 | Uruguay (URU)Enrique Pereira Julio López Julio César Costemalle Leonel Gabriel Juan Bucetta Osvaldo Mariño Ramón Abella Raúl Castro |
| 17 | Chile (CHI)Teodoro Salah Luis Aguirrebeña Isaac Froimovich Pedro Aguirrebeña A. Hurtado José Salah Svante Törnvall O. Martínez |
| 18 | Australia (AUS)Arthur Burge Roger Cornforth Benjamin Dalley Herman Doerner Jack Ferguson Leon Ferguson Colin French Eric Johnston Jack King Les McKay |