Head coach Mirza Hrustemović Appearances 5 (First in 2000) Location Bosnia and Herzegovina | Home Away Best result (2) 2004, 2012 | |
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Nickname(s) Zlatni Ljiljani (Golden Lilies), Zmajevi (Dragons) Association Association of sitting volleyball of Bosnia and Herzegovina | ||
The Bosnia and Herzegovina men's national sitting volleyball team (Bosnian: Reprezentacija BiH u sjedećoj odbojci) represents Bosnia and Herzegovina in international sitting volleyball competitions and friendly matches. Bosnia is one of the dominant forces in sitting volleyball worldwide, alongside Iran. The team won Bosnia's first ever medal in any sport, a bronze, during ECVD European Championships in 1997 in Tallinn. It took nearly two decades later for the nation to win a medal outside the sport of sitting volleyball when Amel Tuka won bronze during 2015 World Championships in Athletics.
Contents
- History
- Minor tournaments
- Players
- SDI Spid
- OKI Fantomi
- Sarajevo Open
- Most appearances All time list
- Multiple gold medalists at Paralympics
- Biggest wins by Bosnia
- World ranking
- Top rivals
- BosniaIran rivalry
- BosniaGermany rivalry
- BosniaRussia rivalry
- Sport in popular culture
- References
The team is the most decorated in Bosnia and Herzegovina sport having won 2 paralympic volleyball gold medals, 3 paralympic silver medals, 3 World Cup titles, and 9 won European Championships straight. The team won World titles and European titles either side of winning Paralympics Gold in 2004 Athens. The team is a member of the world (WOVD) and European (ECVD) sitting volleyball governing bodies.
It is governed by the Association of sitting volleyball of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Savez sjedeće odbojke BiH). Until 1992, Bosnian-Herzegovinian players like Ševko Nuhanović were part of the SFR Yugoslavia national sitting volleyball team.
History
Prior to 1992, during the Yugoslavia days, the beginnings of the team started to take its form. Players were part of Sarajevo based Uporni Sitting Volleyball Club which were champions of Yugoslavia three times in a row. Bosnia and Herzegovina men's sitting volleyball team includes athletes who were deeply affected by the Bosnian War (6 April 1992 – 14 December 1995). Due to the large number of people injured in the conflict, the country started to invest more in Paralympic sports. Captain Sabahudin Delalić fought for the Bosnian army and lost part of his right leg after a wall fell on him. Safet Alibašić lost one of his legs when he stepped on a landmine. The team coach Mirza Hrustemovic, himself was given a vaccination in 1961 against an illness with the medicine having a side effect. He lost the function in his left leg. Today, more than 500.000 disabled people lives in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The first major tournament participation came in during 1995 European championship. During its qualification phase in early December 1994, the team (all players from Sarajevo club SDI Spid), traveled to Zagreb on a bus riddled with bullet holes in temperatures of 17 degrees below zero. Bosnia along with Austria were the only nations to travel to play Croatia in the qualification tournament (out of 11 invited). Croatia finished undefeated with victories over Austria 3:0 (15:5, 15:8, 16:14) and Bosnia (15:6, 15:8, 15:11). Bosnia beat Austria, however all 3 nations qualified for the finals.
Team made their Paralympic Games debut at Sydney 2000 and won silver. There were five total Paralympic podium finishes in sitting volleyball for Bosnia and Herzegovina. They are the only medals in Olympic and Paralympic Games as an independent nation (from Yugoslavia). The 800 metres distance runner Amel Tuka holds the only other prestigious medal for Bosnia and Herzegovina, a bronze at 2015 World Championships in Athletics in Beijing.
On 21 June 2014, Edin Džeko congratulated the BiH men's national sitting volleyball team after they won 2014 Sitting Volleyball World Championships title, stating "You are our pride and inspiration".
On 10 September 2012, Basketball Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina congratulated the BiH sitting volleyball team upon their paralympic gold medal win at 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, saying "You are a pride of our nation", as did NFSBiH (normalization committee) with Ivica Osim at the head.
Success formula
Height, experience and strong club league are key to success in the sitting volleyball. 80% of the Bosnian national team players come from Sarajevo based and Europe's top two sitting volleyball club sides; SDI Spid and OKI Fantomi. Height is a critical aspect of successful team as was case with Iranian national team winning gold over Bosnia at Rio 2016 Paralympics final due to height advantage of tallest Paralympian Morteza Mehrzadselakjani at 2.46m (8ft 1in), giving his team an advantage in his ability to both block at the net and fire over returns from a much higher trajectory. In the Rio final; Mehrzadselakjani was top scorer for Iran with 28 points. Safet Alibasic top scored for BIH with 16 points. Fastest serve came from Adnan Manko at 68 km/h. Sport investment, financial backing and sprint velocities are other key factors.
Style of play
Bosnia play an attacking style of volleyball.
Nickname
A popular nickname of all Bosnian sport players and/or teams is the Zmajevi or Dragons in English alluding to the famous Bosnian general Husein Gradaščević who fought for Bosnian independence and who was known as the "Dragon of Bosnia". In foreign media, they are sometimes referred to as the Golden Lilies, in reference to the Fleur-de-lis featured on the coat of arms of the influential Bosnian medieval Kotromanić dynasty.
Sponsorship
Team is sponsored by Sarajevo based telecommunication company BH Telecom d.d. since 1996.
Minor tournaments
Note: WOVD Intercontinental Cup tournaments serve as Paralympic qualifiers.
In 2005 Sarajevo competition; club Sdi Spid faced Iran in the final.
Players
The players in the B&H national side predominantly are selected from two biggest clubs from Bosnia and Herzegovina: OKI Fantomi Sarajevo (Volleyball Club Invalids Phantoms) and SDI Spid Sarajevo. The sitting volleyball clubs started by gathering mostly war veterans handicapped during Bosnian War. Both clubs are multiple league champions at home.
SDI Spid
SDI Spid was founded on 5 April 1994.
OKI Fantomi
OKI "Phantom" were established in 1995 in Sarajevo.
Sarajevo Open
Organised annually by OKI Fantomi volleyball club, Sarajevo Open has grown into a tournament of prestige for national teams and elite club sides and is a highly rated calendar event by participants.
International trust fund for demining and mine victims assistance (ITF) is a sponsor of OKI "FANTOMI" Sarajevo and Sarajevo Open.
Most appearances – All time list
Sorted by date of birth as it is difficult to know exact number of appearances. Most appearances during career playing for Bosnia and Herz. Former Yugoslavia statistics where applicable not included.
Multiple gold medalists at Paralympics
This is a list of multiple Paralympics gold medalists for Bosnia in sitting volleyball, listing people who have won two or more gold medals (sorted by gold medal first).
Biggest wins by Bosnia
Table sorted by points conceded (scored against BiH) in straight sets win (least to most).
World ranking
As at 28 September 2016.
Bosnia best European rank in sitting volleyball was 1st.
At 2016 Rio Paralympics, Bosnia retained Rank at No. 1 (seed No. 1) as defending Paralympic champion.
Top rivals
Rivals Bosnia predominantly meets in the finals of major competitions listed.
Bosnia–Iran rivalry
Bosnians brought an end to the Iranians' series of four Paralympic golds at Athens 2004, the two teams have met in all the finals of the Paralympic Games and world championships, except in 2014, when the Bosnians faced Brazil.
Interestingly, sitting volleyball is not the only men's sport these two nations faced each other at the biggest stage of a competition. Bosnia played and beat Iran at both 2014 Soccer World Cup and 2015 Handball World Championship.
Bosnia–Germany rivalry
Bosnia since team formation has been an adversary to Germany during European sitting volleyball championships as teams have met at almost every major tournament in later stages of the finals.
Bosnia–Russia rivalry
Bosnia since team formation has been an adversary to Russia during European sitting volleyball championships as teams have met several times at major tournament finals.