# Beach volleyball at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament

The men's beach volleyball tournament at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, took place at the Shiokaze Park. The competition was held from 24 July to 7 August 2021. It was originally scheduled to take place from 25 July to 8 August 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the IOC and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee announced on 24 March 2020 that the 2020 Summer Olympics would be delayed to 2021. Because of this pandemic, the games were played behind closed doors. Twenty four teams with 48 athletes around the world competed for the gold medal.
Anders Mol and Christian Sørum captured the gold medal after defeating Viacheslav Krasilnikov and Oleg Stoyanovskiy in the final, while Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan took home bronze.
The medals for the competition were presented by Kristin Kloster Aasen, Norway; IOC Member, and the medalists' bouquets were presented by Ary Graça, Brazil; FIVB President.

## Qualification

| Means of qualification | Date | Venue | Vacancies | Qualified |
| Host nation | — | — | 1 | Japan |
| 2019 World Championships | 28 June – 7 July 2019 | Hamburg | 1 | ROC |
| 2019 FIVB Olympic Qualification Tournament | 18–22 September 2019 | Haiyang | 2 | Italy |
| 2019 FIVB Olympic Qualification Tournament | 18–22 September 2019 | Haiyang | 2 | Latvia |
| FIVB Beach Volleyball Olympic Ranking | 13 June 2021 | Lausanne | 15 | Norway |
| FIVB Beach Volleyball Olympic Ranking | 13 June 2021 | Lausanne | 15 | Qatar |
| FIVB Beach Volleyball Olympic Ranking | 13 June 2021 | Lausanne | 15 | Brazil |
| FIVB Beach Volleyball Olympic Ranking | 13 June 2021 | Lausanne | 15 | Poland |
| FIVB Beach Volleyball Olympic Ranking | 13 June 2021 | Lausanne | 15 | Netherlands |
| FIVB Beach Volleyball Olympic Ranking | 13 June 2021 | Lausanne | 15 | Brazil |
| FIVB Beach Volleyball Olympic Ranking | 13 June 2021 | Lausanne | 15 | Germany |
| FIVB Beach Volleyball Olympic Ranking | 13 June 2021 | Lausanne | 15 | ROC |
| FIVB Beach Volleyball Olympic Ranking | 13 June 2021 | Lausanne | 15 | Czech Republic |
| FIVB Beach Volleyball Olympic Ranking | 13 June 2021 | Lausanne | 15 | United States |
| FIVB Beach Volleyball Olympic Ranking | 13 June 2021 | Lausanne | 15 | United States |
| FIVB Beach Volleyball Olympic Ranking | 13 June 2021 | Lausanne | 15 | Spain |
| FIVB Beach Volleyball Olympic Ranking | 13 June 2021 | Lausanne | 15 | Poland |
| FIVB Beach Volleyball Olympic Ranking | 13 June 2021 | Lausanne | 15 | Italy |
| FIVB Beach Volleyball Olympic Ranking | 13 June 2021 | Lausanne | 15 | Chile |
| 2018–2020 CEV Continental Cup Final | 23–26 June 2021 | The Hague | 1 | Switzerland |
| 2018–2020 AVC Continental Cup Final | 25–27 June 2021 | Nakhon Pathom | 1 | Australia |
| 2018–2020 CAVB Continental Cup Final | 25–27 June 2021 | Agadir | 1 | Morocco |
| 2018–2020 NORCECA Continental Cup Final | 25–27 June 2021 | Colima | 1 | Mexico |
| 2018–2020 CSV Continental Cup Final | 26–27 June 2021 | Santiago | 1 | Argentina |
| Total | Total | Total | 24 | |

## Teams

Twenty four teams were drawn in six pools of four teams.
| Team | NOC |
| Julian Azaad / Nicolás Capogrosso | Argentina |
| Chris McHugh / Damien Schumann | Australia |
| Alison Cerutti / Álvaro Morais Filho | Brazil |
| Evandro Oliveira / Bruno Oscar Schmidt | Brazil |
| Marco Grimalt / Esteban Grimalt | Chile |
| Ondřej Perušič / David Schweiner | Czech Republic |
| Julius Thole / Clemens Wickler | Germany |
| Adrian Carambula / Enrico Rossi | Italy |
| Paolo Nicolai / Daniele Lupo | Italy |
| Yusuke Ishijima / Katsuhiro Shiratori | Japan |
| Mārtiņš Pļaviņš / Edgars Točs | Latvia |
| Josué Gaxiola / José Rubio | Mexico |
| Zouheir El Graoui / Mohamed Abicha | Morocco |
| Alexander Brouwer / Robert Meeuwsen | Netherlands |
| Anders Mol / Christian Sørum | Norway |
| Michał Bryl / Grzegorz Fijałek | Poland |
| Piotr Kantor / Bartosz Łosiak | Poland |
| Cherif Younousse / Ahmed Tijan | Qatar |
| Viacheslav Krasilnikov / Oleg Stoyanovskiy | ROC |
| Konstantin Semenov / Ilya Leshukov | ROC |
| Pablo Herrera / Adrián Gavira | Spain |
| Adrian Heidrich / Mirco Gerson | Switzerland |
| Jake Gibb / Tri Bourne* | United States |
| Nick Lucena / Phil Dalhausser | United States |
*Taylor Crabb of the United States originally qualified to play with Gibb, but was tested positive for COVID-19 and was replaced by Bourne.

## Draw

The draw was made on 5 July 2021.
| Pool A | Pool B | Pool C |
| Mol – Sørum (NOR) | Krasilnikov – Stoyanovskiy (ROC) | Cherif – Ahmed (QAT) |
| Semenov – Leshukov (ROC) | Perušič – Schweiner (CZE) | Gibb – Bourne (USA) |
| Herrera – Gavira (ESP) | Pļaviņš – Točs (LAT) | Carambula – Rossi (ITA) |
| McHugh – Schumann (AUS) | Gaxiola – Rubio (MEX) | Heidrich – Gerson (SUI) |
| Pool D | Pool E | Pool F |
| Alison – Álvaro (BRA) | Fijałek – Bryl (POL) | Ishijima – Shiratori (JPN) |
| Brouwer – Meeuwsen (NED) | Evandro – Schmidt (BRA) | Thole – Wickler (GER) |
| Lucena – Dalhausser (USA) | M Grimalt – E Grimalt (CHI) | Nicolai – Lupo (ITA) |
| Azaad – Capogrosso (ARG) | El Graoui – Abicha (MAR) | Kantor – Łosiak (POL) |

## Referees

The following referees were selected for the tournament.
* Osvaldo Sumavil
* Mário Ferro
* Wang Lijun
* Juan Carlos Saavedra
* Charalampos Papadogoulas
* Mariko Satomi
* Davide Crescentini
* Agnieszka Myszkowska
* Rui Carvalho
* Roman Pristovakin
* Giovanni Bake
* José María Padrón
* Brig Beatie

## Preliminary round

All times are local (UTC+9).

### Pool A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Semenov – Leshukov (ROC) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | MAX | 127 | 107 | 1.187 | Round of 16 |
| 2 | Mol – Sørum (NOR) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1.333 | 137 | 133 | 1.030 | Round of 16 |
| 3 | Herrera – Gavira (ESP) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 0.500 | 120 | 120 | 1.000 | Lucky losers |
| 4 | McHugh – Schumann (AUS) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 0.167 | 114 | 138 | 0.826 | |

### Pool B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Krasilnikov – Stoyanovskiy (ROC) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 1.250 | 169 | 148 | 1.142 | Round of 16 |
| 2 | Pļaviņš – Točs (LAT) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1.333 | 83 | 93 | 0.892 | Round of 16 |
| 3 | Gaxiola – Rubio (MEX) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.000 | 150 | 151 | 0.993 | Round of 16 |
| 4 | Perušič – Schweiner (CZE) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 0.600 | 96 | 148 | 0.649 | |

### Pool C

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Cherif – Ahmed (QAT) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | MAX | 129 | 103 | 1.252 | Round of 16 |
| 2 | Gibb – Bourne (USA) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2.000 | 121 | 119 | 1.017 | Round of 16 |
| 3 | Heidrich – Gerson (SUI) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 0.400 | 133 | 139 | 0.957 | Lucky losers |
| 4 | Carambula – Rossi (ITA) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 0.167 | 125 | 147 | 0.850 | |

### Pool D

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Alison – Álvaro (BRA) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2.500 | 143 | 127 | 1.126 | Round of 16 |
| 2 | Brouwer – Meeuwsen (NED) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2.000 | 120 | 108 | 1.111 | Round of 16 |
| 3 | Lucena – Dalhausser (USA) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 1.000 | 147 | 144 | 1.021 | Round of 16 |
| 4 | Azaad – Capogrosso (ARG) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 0.167 | 107 | 138 | 0.775 | |

### Pool E

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Evandro – Schmidt (BRA) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 3.000 | 151 | 128 | 1.180 | Round of 16 |
| 2 | Bryl – Fijałek (POL) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2.500 | 134 | 120 | 1.117 | Round of 16 |
| 3 | M. Grimalt – E. Grimalt (CHI) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 0.750 | 125 | 120 | 1.042 | Lucky losers |
| 4 | El Graoui – Abicha (MAR) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0.000 | 84 | 126 | 0.667 | |

### Pool F

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Nicolai – Lupo (ITA) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 3.000 | 150 | 138 | 1.087 | Round of 16 |
| 2 | Thole – Wickler (GER) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2.500 | 138 | 118 | 1.169 | Round of 16 |
| 3 | Kantor – Łosiak (POL) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 0.750 | 128 | 125 | 1.024 | Lucky losers |
| 4 | Ishijima – Shiratori (JPN) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0.000 | 91 | 126 | 0.722 | |

### Lucky losers

The table below shows the ranking of third-placed teams in the preliminary round. The top two teams advanced to next round automatically. The other teams competed for the two remaining spots. The third-ranked team played against the sixth-ranked team, and the fourth-ranked team played against the fifth-ranked team.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Lucena – Dalhausser (USA) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 1.000 | 147 | 144 | 1.021 | Round of 16 |
| 2 | Gaxiola – Rubio (MEX) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1.000 | 150 | 151 | 0.993 | Round of 16 |
| 3 | M. Grimalt – E. Grimalt (CHI) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 0.750 | 125 | 120 | 1.042 | Lucky loser playoffs |
| 4 | Kantor – Łosiak (POL) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 0.750 | 128 | 125 | 1.024 | Lucky loser playoffs |
| 5 | Herrera – Gavira (ESP) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 0.500 | 120 | 120 | 1.000 | Lucky loser playoffs |
| 6 | Heidrich – Gerson (SUI) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 0.400 | 133 | 139 | 0.957 | Lucky loser playoffs |

#### Lucky loser playoffs
## Knockout stage

The round of sixteen pair up were determined by drawing of lots. The six first ranked teams in the preliminary pools were separated automatically. Then, the lucky loser playoffs winners were drawn. The two best third ranked were drawn next. And, the last drawing belonged to the second ranked teams. The teams from the same pool in the preliminary round could not meet in round of 16.

### Bracket

| Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Gold medal | Gold medal |
| 2 August | 2 August | | | | | | |
| Semenov – Leshukov (ROC) | 2 | | | | | | |
| Semenov – Leshukov (ROC) | 2 | 4 August | 4 August | | | | | |
| M. Grimalt – E. Grimalt (CHI) | 0 | 4 August | 4 August | | | | |
| M. Grimalt – E. Grimalt (CHI) | 0 | Semenov – Leshukov (ROC) | 0 | | | | |
| 1 August | 1 August | | Semenov – Leshukov (ROC) | 0 | | | | |
| 1 August | 1 August | Mol – Sørum (NOR) | 2 | | | | |
| Mol – Sørum (NOR) | 2 | Mol – Sørum (NOR) | 2 | | | | |
| Mol – Sørum (NOR) | 2 | | | | 5 August | 5 August | | |
| Brouwer – Meeuwsen (NED) | 0 | | | | 5 August | 5 August | |
| Brouwer – Meeuwsen (NED) | 0 | | | | Mol – Sørum (NOR) | 2 | |
| 2 August | 2 August | | | | | Mol – Sørum (NOR) | 2 | |
| 2 August | 2 August | | | | Pļaviņš – Točs (LAT) | 0 | |
| Evandro – Schmidt (BRA) | 0 | | | | Pļaviņš – Točs (LAT) | 0 | |
| Evandro – Schmidt (BRA) | 0 | 4 August | 4 August | | | | | |
| Pļaviņš – Točs (LAT) | 2 | 4 August | 4 August | | | | |
| Pļaviņš – Točs (LAT) | 2 | Pļaviņš – Točs (LAT) | 2 | | | | |
| 2 August | 2 August | | Pļaviņš – Točs (LAT) | 2 | | | | |
| 2 August | 2 August | Alison – Álvaro (BRA) | 0 | | | | |
| Gaxiola – Rubio (MEX) | 0 | Alison – Álvaro (BRA) | 0 | | | | |
| Gaxiola – Rubio (MEX) | 0 | | | | | | | 7 August | 7 August |
| Alison – Álvaro (BRA) | 2 | | | | | | | 7 August | 7 August |
| Alison – Álvaro (BRA) | 2 | | | | | | | Mol – Sørum (NOR) | 2 |
| 1 August | 1 August | | | | | | | | Mol – Sørum (NOR) | 2 |
| 1 August | 1 August | | | | | | | Krasilnikov – Stoyanovskiy (ROC) | 0 |
| Cherif – Ahmed (QAT) | 2 | | | | | | | Krasilnikov – Stoyanovskiy (ROC) | 0 |
| Cherif – Ahmed (QAT) | 2 | 4 August | 4 August | | | | | | |
| Lucena – Dalhausser (USA) | 1 | 4 August | 4 August | | | | | | |
| Lucena – Dalhausser (USA) | 1 | Cherif – Ahmed (QAT) | 2 | | | | | | |
| 2 August | 2 August | | Cherif – Ahmed (QAT) | 2 | | | | | | |
| 2 August | 2 August | Nicolai – Lupo (ITA) | 0 | | | | | | |
| Fijałek – Bryl (POL) | 0 | Nicolai – Lupo (ITA) | 0 | | | | | | |
| Fijałek – Bryl (POL) | 0 | | | | 5 August | 5 August | | | | |
| Nicolai – Lupo (ITA) | 2 | | | | 5 August | 5 August | | | |
| Nicolai – Lupo (ITA) | 2 | | | | Cherif – Ahmed (QAT) | 0 | | | |
| 2 August | 2 August | | | | | Cherif – Ahmed (QAT) | 0 | | | |
| 2 August | 2 August | | | | Krasilnikov – Stoyanovskiy (ROC) | 2 | | Bronze medal | Bronze medal |
| Gibb – Bourne (USA) | 1 | | | | Krasilnikov – Stoyanovskiy (ROC) | 2 | | Bronze medal | Bronze medal |
| Gibb – Bourne (USA) | 1 | 4 August | 4 August | | | | | 7 August | 7 August |
| Thole – Wickler (GER) | 2 | 4 August | 4 August | | | | | 7 August | 7 August |
| Thole – Wickler (GER) | 2 | Thole – Wickler (GER) | 0 | | | | | Pļaviņš – Točs (LAT) | 0 |
| 2 August | 2 August | | Thole – Wickler (GER) | 0 | | | | | Pļaviņš – Točs (LAT) | 0 |
| 2 August | 2 August | Krasilnikov – Stoyanovskiy (ROC) | 2 | | | | | Cherif – Ahmed (QAT) | 2 |
| Herrera – Gavira (ESP) | 0 | Krasilnikov – Stoyanovskiy (ROC) | 2 | | | | | Cherif – Ahmed (QAT) | 2 |
| Krasilnikov – Stoyanovskiy (ROC) | 2 | | | | | | | | |

### Gold medal game
## Final ranking

| Rank | Team |
| | Mol – Sørum (NOR) |
| | Krasilnikov – Stoyanovskiy (ROC) |
| | Cherif – Ahmed (QAT) |
| 4 | Pļaviņš – Točs (LAT) |
| 5 | Alison – Álvaro (BRA) |
| 5 | Thole – Wickler (GER) |
| 5 | Nicolai – Lupo (ITA) |
| 5 | Semenov – Leshukov (ROC) |
| 9 | Evandro – Schmidt (BRA) |
| 9 | M. Grimalt – E. Grimalt (CHI) |
| 9 | Gaxiola – Rubio (MEX) |
| 9 | Brouwer – Meeuwsen (NED) |
| 9 | Fijałek – Bryl (POL) |
| 9 | Herrera – Gavira (ESP) |
| 9 | Gibb – Bourne (USA) |
| 9 | Lucena – Dalhausser (USA) |
| 17 | Kantor – Łosiak (POL) |
| 17 | Heidrich – Gerson (SUI) |
| 19 | Azaad – Capogrosso (ARG) |
| 19 | McHugh – Schumann (AUS) |
| 19 | Perušič – Schweiner (CZE) |
| 19 | Carambula – Rossi (ITA) |
| 19 | Ishijima – Shiratori (JPN) |
| 19 | El Graoui – Abicha (MAR) |