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Real reason Olympic volleyball player wears different colour to their teammates

Home> News> Sport

Published 16:24 5 Aug 2024 GMT+1

Real reason Olympic volleyball player wears different colour to their teammates

They play a key role in every volleyball team

Tom Earnshaw

Tom Earnshaw

Away from the likes of the 100m final, swimming, and gymnastics, people love nothing more than watching a 'lesser' known sport when the Olympic Games rocks up every four years.

And one major part of that is understanding the rules that you have to know in order to follow the sport that you've started to invest hours of your life in to.

Enter the world of volleyball, which every four years comes back around to the Olympics, with fans like moths to a flame when it comes to watching the gripping contests.

For those watching the volleyball, you've probably noticed one teammate on any team playing having one competitor in a different colour uniform to others. The question now is, why?

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Time to learn about volleyball, folks (MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP via Getty Images)
Time to learn about volleyball, folks (MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP via Getty Images)

Different volleyball uniform colour explained

Volleyball players wearing a different colour top to their teammates are called the 'libero'.

The libero is the main player when it comes to the defensive side of things with the role also having a number of limitations on what the person in that role can do.

Anyone in the libero role is known as a back row player and cannot go anywhere near the net.

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They cannot block a shot at the net or jump and spike a ball at the front end of the court.

The libero is used tactially (YURI CORTEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
The libero is used tactially (YURI CORTEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Why is a libero wearing a different colour?

It is for the referees. This way, it makes it easier should the libero decide to try and flirt with breaking the rules.

The libero still usually wears their team's colours. For example, the Brazilian role will wear blue, much like the away kits for the Brazilian national football team.

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Out of the 12 people in a volleyball squad, only two of them can be designated libero players.

Only one of them can be on the pitch at any one time, as per rules when the libero role was first introduced back in 1996 by the International Volleyball Federation.

The libero plays a vital role (Toru Hanai/Getty Images)
The libero plays a vital role (Toru Hanai/Getty Images)

Does the libero always play?

No, the role of the libero is not seen as a starter.

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They spend much of a match rotating with blockers on the rear of the court.

Liberos can only be substituted back off by the person that they replaced, with a referee monitoring this during games. They also don't count towards the 15 substitutions you can make in a set.

The libero and the defensive specialist are normally the best two passers on the floor whereas hitters normally aren’t as skilled in passing. They are vital to whether a team wins or loses.

Featured Image Credit: YURI CORTEZ / AFP via Getty Images / Toru Hanai / Getty Images

Topics: Olympics, Sport, Viral, World News

Tom Earnshaw
Tom Earnshaw

Tom joined LADbible Group in 2024, currently working as SEO Lead across all brands including LADbible, UNILAD, SPORTbible, Tyla, UNILAD Tech, and GAMINGbible. He moved to the company from Reach plc where he enjoyed spells as a content editor and senior reporter for one of the country's most-read local news brands, LancsLive. When he's not in work, Tom spends his adult life as a suffering Manchester United supporter after a childhood filled with trebles and Premier League titles. You can't have it all forever, I suppose.

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@TREarnshaw

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