# Volleyball at the 1968 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament

The men's tournament in volleyball at the 1968 Summer Olympics was the 2nd edition of the event at the Summer Olympics, organized by the world's governing body, the FIVB in conjunction with the IOC. It was held in Mexico City, Mexico from 13 to 26 October 1968.

## Qualification

| Means of qualification | Means of qualification | Date | Host | Vacancies | Qualified |
| Host Country | Host Country | 18 October 1963 | Baden-Baden | 1 | Mexico |
| 1964 Olympic Games | 1964 Olympic Games | 13–23 October 1964 | Tokyo | 1 | Soviet Union |
| 1966 World Championship | 1966 World Championship | 30 August – 11 September 1966 | Czechoslovakia | 3 | Czechoslovakia |
| 1966 World Championship | 1966 World Championship | 30 August – 11 September 1966 | Czechoslovakia | 3 | Romania Belgium* |
| 1966 World Championship | 1966 World Championship | 30 August – 11 September 1966 | Czechoslovakia | 3 | East Germany |
| 1967 African Championship | 1967 African Championship | July 1967 | Tunis | 1 | Tunisia Bulgaria* |
| Asian Qualifier | Asian Qualifier | 1967 | Unknown | 1 | Japan |
| 1967 European Championship | 1967 European Championship | 26 October – 8 November 1967 | Turkey | 1 | Poland |
| 1967 Pan American Games | for N. America | 24 July – 3 August 1967 | Winnipeg | 1 | United States |
| 1967 Pan American Games | for S. America | 24 July – 3 August 1967 | Winnipeg | 1 | Brazil |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 10 | |

## Venues

| Main venue | Sub venue | Sub venue |
| Mexico City, Mexico | Mexico City, Mexico | Mexico City, Mexico |
| Palacio de los Deportes Juan Escutia | Gimnasio Olímpico Juan de la Barrera | Revolution Ice Rink |
| Capacity: 22,370 | Capacity: 5,292 | Capacity: 1,500 |
| | | No Image |

## Round robin

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR |
| 1 | Soviet Union | 9 | 8 | 1 | 17 | 26 | 8 | 3.250 | 464 | 326 | 1.423 |
| 2 | Japan | 9 | 7 | 2 | 16 | 24 | 6 | 4.000 | 430 | 258 | 1.667 |
| 3 | Czechoslovakia | 9 | 7 | 2 | 16 | 22 | 15 | 1.467 | 454 | 417 | 1.089 |
| 4 | East Germany | 9 | 6 | 3 | 15 | 22 | 12 | 1.833 | 449 | 374 | 1.201 |
| 5 | Poland | 9 | 6 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 11 | 1.636 | 371 | 281 | 1.320 |
| 6 | Bulgaria | 9 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 0.941 | 379 | 385 | 0.984 |
| 7 | United States | 9 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 0.833 | 383 | 414 | 0.925 |
| 8 | Belgium | 9 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 6 | 24 | 0.250 | 239 | 417 | 0.573 |
| 9 | Brazil | 9 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 25 | 0.320 | 357 | 469 | 0.761 |
| 10 | Mexico | 9 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 27 | 0.222 | 289 | 474 | 0.610 |
| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 13 Oct | Japan | 3–0 | Poland | 15–9 | 15–11 | 15–10 | | | 45–30 |
| 13 Oct | Belgium | 3–1 | Brazil | 15–7 | 16–14 | 9–15 | 15–6 | | 55–42 |
| 13 Oct | Bulgaria | 3–0 | Mexico | 15–9 | 15–4 | 15–6 | | | 45–19 |
| 13 Oct | United States | 3–2 | Soviet Union | 11–15 | 15–10 | 10–15 | 15–10 | 15–6 | 66–56 |
| 13 Oct | Czechoslovakia | 3–2 | East Germany | 15–12 | 15–17 | 14–16 | 15–11 | 15–9 | 74–65 |
| 16 Oct | Bulgaria | 3–0 | Belgium | 15–10 | 15–1 | 15–5 | | | 45–16 |
| 16 Oct | Czechoslovakia | 3–1 | United States | 15–0 | 10–15 | 15–7 | 15–7 | | 55–29 |
| 16 Oct | Poland | 3–1 | Mexico | 15–10 | 7–15 | 15–4 | 15–3 | | 52–32 |
| 16 Oct | Soviet Union | 3–1 | Brazil | 11–15 | 15–2 | 15–9 | 15–9 | | 56–35 |
| 16 Oct | Japan | 3–0 | East Germany | 15–6 | 15–8 | 15–13 | | | 45–27 |
| 17 Oct | East Germany | 3–0 | Mexico | 15–3 | 15–5 | 15–6 | | | 45–14 |
| 17 Oct | Soviet Union | 3–0 | Bulgaria | 15–10 | 15–9 | 15–10 | | | 45–29 |
| 17 Oct | Poland | 3–0 | Belgium | 15–6 | 15–5 | 15–8 | | | 45–19 |
| 17 Oct | United States | 3–0 | Brazil | 15–12 | 15–7 | 15–10 | | | 45–29 |
| 17 Oct | Czechoslovakia | 3–2 | Japan | 2–15 | 3–15 | 15–12 | 15–12 | 15–11 | 50–65 |
| 19 Oct | Japan | 3–0 | Mexico | 15–1 | 15–3 | 15–11 | | | 45–15 |
| 19 Oct | Bulgaria | 3–2 | United States | 10–15 | 17–15 | 7–15 | 15–7 | 16–14 | 65–66 |
| 19 Oct | Soviet Union | 3–0 | Poland | 15–9 | 15–10 | 15–10 | | | 45–29 |
| 19 Oct | Czechoslovakia | 3–2 | Brazil | 15–12 | 15–10 | 13–15 | 13–15 | 15–9 | 71–61 |
| 19 Oct | East Germany | 3–0 | Belgium | 15–1 | 15–7 | 15–7 | | | 45–15 |
| 20 Oct | Japan | 3–0 | Belgium | 15–5 | 15–5 | 15–4 | | | 45–14 |
| 20 Oct | Bulgaria | 3–0 | Brazil | 15–8 | 18–16 | 15–3 | | | 48–27 |
| 20 Oct | Czechoslovakia | 3–0 | Mexico | 15–10 | 15–8 | 15–8 | | | 45–26 |
| 20 Oct | Poland | 3–0 | United States | 15–5 | 15–5 | 15–8 | | | 45–18 |
| 20 Oct | Soviet Union | 3–2 | East Germany | 10–15 | 15–9 | 15–11 | 12–15 | 15–5 | 67–55 |
| 21 Oct | Czechoslovakia | 3–2 | Bulgaria | 15–7 | 10–15 | 15–9 | 4–15 | 15–7 | 59–53 |
| 21 Oct | Belgium | 3–2 | Mexico | 15–11 | 5–15 | 13–15 | 18–16 | 15–2 | 66–59 |
| 21 Oct | East Germany | 3–0 | United States | 15–8 | 15–12 | 15–10 | | | 45–30 |
| 21 Oct | Poland | 3–0 | Brazil | 15–12 | 15–4 | 15–7 | | | 45–23 |
| 21 Oct | Soviet Union | 3–1 | Japan | 4–15 | 15–13 | 15–9 | 15–13 | | 49–50 |
| 23 Oct | Poland | 3–0 | Bulgaria | 15–3 | 15–5 | 15–10 | | | 45–18 |
| 23 Oct | Soviet Union | 3–1 | Mexico | 15–5 | 15–8 | 11–15 | 15–5 | | 56–33 |
| 23 Oct | Japan | 3–0 | United States | 15–5 | 15–8 | 15–11 | | | 45–24 |
| 23 Oct | East Germany | 3–1 | Brazil | 15–13 | 15–7 | 14–16 | 15–12 | | 59–48 |
| 23 Oct | Czechoslovakia | 3–0 | Belgium | 15–0 | 15–4 | 15–12 | | | 45–16 |
| 24 Oct | Japan | 3–0 | Brazil | 15–8 | 15–11 | 15–12 | | | 45–31 |
| 24 Oct | East Germany | 3–2 | Bulgaria | 15–11 | 8–15 | 15–10 | 10–15 | 15–7 | 63–58 |
| 24 Oct | United States | 3–1 | Mexico | 14–16 | 15–10 | 15–9 | 15–11 | | 59–46 |
| 24 Oct | Poland | 3–1 | Czechoslovakia | 15–5 | 15–3 | 12–15 | 15–13 | | 57–36 |
| 24 Oct | Soviet Union | 3–0 | Belgium | 15–2 | 15–3 | 15–5 | | | 45–10 |
| 25 Oct | Japan | 3–0 | Bulgaria | 15–7 | 15–6 | 15–5 | | | 45–18 |
| 25 Oct | United States | 3–0 | Belgium | 15–4 | 16–14 | 15–10 | | | 46–28 |
| 25 Oct | Brazil | 3–1 | Mexico | 14–16 | 15–6 | 17–15 | 15–8 | | 61–45 |
| 25 Oct | East Germany | 3–0 | Poland | 15–11 | 15–6 | 15–6 | | | 45–23 |
| 26 Oct | Soviet Union | 3–0 | Czechoslovakia | 15–7 | 15–4 | 15–8 | | | 45–19 |

## Final standing

| Rank | Team |
| | Soviet Union |
| | Japan |
| | Czechoslovakia |
| 4 | East Germany |
| 5 | Poland |
| 6 | Bulgaria |
| 7 | United States |
| 8 | Belgium |
| 9 | Brazil |
| 10 | Mexico |
* 1968 Men's Olympic champions
* Soviet Union 2nd title
* 12–man Roster
* Eduard Sibiryakov, Yuriy Poyarkov, Georgy Mondzolevski, Valeri Kravchenko, Volodymyr Byelyayev, Yevhen Lapinsky, Ivans Bugajenkovs, Oļegs Antropovs, Vasilijus Matuševas, Viktor Mikhalchuk, Borys Tereshchuk, Volodymyr Ivanov
* Head coach
* Yuri Chesnokov

## Medalists

| Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| Soviet Union (URS)Eduard Sibiryakov Yuriy Poyarkov Georgy Mondzolevski Valeri Kravchenko Volodymyr Byelyayev Yevhen Lapinsky Ivans Bugajenkovs Oļegs Antropovs Vasilijus Matuševas Viktor Mikhalchuk Borys Tereshchuk Volodymyr Ivanov Head coach: Yuri Chesnokov | Japan (JPN)Masayuki Minami Katsutoshi Nekoda Mamoru Shiragami Isao Koizumi Kenji Kimura Yasuaki Mitsumori Naohiro Ikeda Jungo Morita Tadayoshi Yokota Seiji Oko Tetsuo Satō Kenji Shimaoka Head coach: Yasutaka Matsudaira | Czechoslovakia (TCH)Bohumil Golián Antonín Procházka Petr Kop Jiří Svoboda Josef Musil Lubomír Zajíček Josef Smolka Vladimír Petlák František Sokol Zdeněk Groessl Pavel Schenk Drahomír Koudelka Head coach: Vladimir Matiásek |