Sports
Originally called “Mintonette,” volleyball was created in the United States, in 1895, and quickly became popular throughout the world. Its international federation was formed in 1946 and became part of the Games in 1964 in Tokyo. The Soviet Union has won the greatest number of medals in volleyball, although no nation has dominated the scene for very long. Currently, volleyball is greatly popular in the United States and Brazil, in large part due to beach volleyball, which debuted in the 1996 Olympic Games. In the court version, matches include up to five sets. In the first four sets, the winning team must reach 25 points, with a difference of at least two points. There is no maximum score, so sets continue until the difference is reached. In the fifth set, the winning team must achieve at least fifteen points with a difference of two points over the other team. Beach volleyball is played in pairs, in three set matches. Scoring rules are the same, but winning teams must reach 21 points, and the last (tie break) is up to 15 points.