Olympic Water Polo

Water polo is a team-based sport that is played in a pool and requires the ability to swim to play. There are six players on each team in water polo, and one goal keeper per team, making a total of seven players in play at a given time. There are a maximum of six substitutes per game and the winner of the game is the team that scores the most goals on the opposing player’s side. Water polo is played by swimming, passing of the game ball, and scoring goals by sending the ball past the goalie of the opposing team. Water polo has similar characteristics of many other sports that are played on land, such as soccer and hockey. They all involve sending a ball into the goal of the opposing team to score points.

Origin of Olympic Water Polo:
Olympic water polo is currently the oldest team sport still played in the Olympics. The game of water polo first emerged in a 19th century game of rugby which was played in a river in England and Scotland. Eventually, the sport evolved and was renamed water polo after soccer balls began to be used in the sport. The sport continued to be an exhibit at county fairs and festivals during the 19th century. At the dawn of the 20th century, the sport was featured in the modern second Olympic games in 1900. It was not long before water polo spread throughout other countries and Olympic water polo became a worldwide sport. Today, Olympic water polo is played with a ball that is identical in size to a soccer ball, except that it is made out of water-proof nylon.

Progression of Olympic Water Polo:
Men’s Olympic water polo teams first began in the second Summer Olympic Games, along with other team sports, such as cricket, rugby, football, polo (a game played on horses), rowing, and tug of war. Women’s Olympic water polo teams were not allowed to compete until the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, after much protest from female water polo players from Australia.

Olympic water polo has been a part of the Olympic Summer Games since 1900. The three countries that have won the most gold, silver, and bronze medals are Hungary, Italy, and Great Britain. Hungary has, by far, dominated the sport, having won a total of nine competitive gold medals since 1990, more than Italy and Great Britain combined. Other noteworthy competing Olympic water polo teams who have won medals in past competitions include Yugoslavia, Soviet Union, United States, Germany, Span, France, Netherlands, Australia, Belgium, Russia, Sweden, Croatia, Greece, and Serbia.

Famous Olympic Water Polo Match:
One of the most famous matches in Olympic Water Polo was played between Hungary and the Soviet Union in the 1956 Olympics in which Hungary won 4-0. One of the Hungarian players, Ervin Zador came out of the pool in the closing minutes of the game with blood on his face after being punched by a Soviet player. The match was also significant because it took place in the background of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution.