FIVB mourns passing of volleyball legend Vyacheslav Zaytsev

The FIVB is deeply saddened by the loss of Russian volleyball legend Vyacheslav Zaytsev, who passed away at the age of 70.

Born in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) in 1952, Vyacheslav Zaytsev was one of the most talented players to ever step on the court for the former Soviet Union. As a setter and a captain, Zaytsev led the USSR national team to Olympic gold at Moscow 1980. He was also part of the squads that earned the Olympic silver medals at Montreal 1976 and Seoul 1988, the FIVB Volleyball World Championship titles in 1978 and 1982 and silver medals in 1974 and 1986. Zaytsev’s achievements with the Soviet national team also included two titles (1977 and 1981) and a silver (1985) at the FIVB Volleyball World Cup, a 1986 Goodwill Games gold, as many as seven CEV European Championship crowns between 1971 and 1985, and a number of individual Most Valuable Player and Best Setter awards.

Zaytsev spent most of his club career at Avtomobilist Leningrad, winning Europe’s Cup Winners’ Cup twice, in 1982 and 1983. He also played for clubs in Italy and Switzerland, before turning to the coaching profession, in which he was also very successful at both club and national team level. His son Ivan Zaytsev, born in Italy, has grown to become one of the biggest stars of Italian volleyball.

For his long career, remarkable success, impeccable setting skills on the court and his leadership, Vyacheslav Zaytsev was inducted to the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2013.

Vyacheslav Zaytsev’s love and dedication to volleyball passed on to his son Ivan Zaytsev, who won two Olympic volleyball medals for Italy.

The FIVB and the global Volleyball Family extend their deepest condolences to the global volleyball community and Vyacheslav Zaytsev’s family and loved ones during this difficult time.