Russia (including the Soviet Union and CIS) have participated in 25 editions of the FIVB World League, only missing the 2004 and 2005 editions. They finished second in 1993, 1998 and 2000, before finally capturing their first of three gold medals in 2002 (defeating hosts Brazil 3-1 in the final in Belo Horizonte). After returning to the competition in 2006, they consistently featured on the podium and added two more gold medals in 2011 (defeating Brazil 3-2 in the final in Gdansk, Poland) and 2013 (sweeping again Brazil 3-0 in Mar del Plata, Argentina).
Russia have also struck gold at the 2011 FIVB World Cup, capping that with Olympic gold (their fourth overall and first since the breakup of the USSR) at the London 2012 Olympic Games. They failed to defend their title at Rio 2016 after allowing USA to come back from 0-2 for a 3-2 win in the bronze medal game. The USSR Volleyball Federation joined the FIVB in 1948, a year after the foundation of the international governing body. The following year they sent a team to compete in the first FIVB Men’s World Championship and have been dominating the international scene ever since, having won six World Championships, six World Cups and 13 European Championships.