When people tune into the Olympics and watch the volleyball competition, little do they know that even the uniforms have specific rules. The Federation Internationale de Volleyball or FIVB governs all international volleyball competitions, including the Olympics. Indoor and beach volleyball players in the Olympics must meet the uniform standards to compete.
Standard Indoor Rules
According to FIVB, all players on the team in international play must have the same color and design of their jerseys, socks and shorts with the exception of the libero's jersey. FIVB rules state that during international play, including the Olympics, players cannot wear shoes that are predominantly black. FIVB rules state that shoes must be light in color and uniforms must be clean, which means the number should not be obstructed by anything like dirt or blood. Players must also have a number between 4 and 6 cm in height on the right leg of their shorts.
Jersey and Numbers
FIVB has specific rules regarding the design of jerseys for international play as well. According to the FIVB, jerseys must be numbered from 1 to 20, with numbers on the front and back in a color that contrasts with the color of the team uniform. In other words, teams cannot wear dark jerseys with dark numbers that are hard to read. FIVB rules also state that the numbers must be at least 15 cm in height on the front and at least 20 cm in height on the back of the uniform. The team's captain is also required to have a 8 cm by 2 cm stripe that underlies their front jersey number, according to FIVB.
Libero
The position of libero is a defensive specialist in volleyball and FIVB rules say that teams can designate two players as liberos. Liberos are unique because they can be subbed into the back row at any time, but they can only play the back row. Liberos are designated to the other team and referee in the score book and by wearing a different uniform. According to FIVB, the libero must wear a uniform with colors that contrast or are different from the colors of the rest of the team. Liberos cannot serve as captain and their jersey must be numbered like the rest of the team, according to FIVB rules.
Beach Volleyball
Beach volleyball, which is two-on-two volleyball played outdoors on sand is a sanctioned Olympic sport in addition to regular indoor volleyball. Because it is played outdoor and on sand, uniform regulations for beach volleyball are quite different. According to the FIVB website, men's players must wear shorts, while women can wear shorts and or a bathing suit. FIVB rules state that players must play barefoot unless pre-approved for otherwise, jerseys and shorts must be numbered 1 or 2 with numbers that are at least 10 cm tall and these numerals must be on the front of the jersey or shorts. International competitions can alter these rules to fit their specific tournament. For examples, the 2004 Athens Olympics made men wear tank tops in addition to shorts. The Athens 2004 rules also stated that tank tops had to fit close to the body, with open arms and shorts could not be baggy or reach the knee. The 2004 Olympics also restricted the design of shorts and tanks to eliminate trademarks or designs except for manufacturer name and country logos or names, according to the FIVB website.
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