OLYMPIC
WATER POLO
As swimming became a popular recreation in England during the 1860s and 1870s, several water sports developed, roughly patterned after land sports. Among them were water football (or soccer), water rugby, water handball, and water polo, in which players rode on floating barrels, painted to look like horses, and struck the ball with a stick. Water rugby became the most popular of these sports, but somehow the water polo name became attached to it, and it's been attached ever since.
As played in England, the object of the game was for a player to touch the ball, with both hands, at the goal end of the pool. The goaltender stood on the pool deck, ready to dive on any opponent who was about to score. Water polo quickly became a very rough sport, filled with underwater fights away from the ball, and it wasn't unusual for players to pass out for lack of air.
In 1877, the sport was tamed in Scotland by the addition of goalposts. The Scots also replaced the original small, hard rubber ball with a soccer ball and adopted rules that prohibited taking the ball under the surface or "tackling" a player unless he had the ball.
The Scottish game, which emphasized swimming speed, passing, and team work, spread to England during the early 1880s, to Hungary in 1889, to Austria and Germany in 1894, to France in 1895, and to Belgium in 1900. Water polo was the first team sport added to the Olympic program, in 1900.
MEN
|
GOLD |
SILVER |
BRONZE |
|
1900 |
Great Britain |
Belgium |
France |
1904 |
United States (NY AC) |
United States (Missouri AC) |
United States (Chicago AA) |
1908 |
Great Britain |
Belgium |
Sweden |
1912 |
Great Britain |
Sweden |
Belgium |
1920 |
Great Britain/Ireland |
Belgium |
Sweden |
1924 |
France |
Belgium |
United States |
1928 |
Germany |
Hungary |
France |
1932 |
Hunary |
Germany |
United States |
1936 |
Hungary |
Germany |
Belgium |
1948 |
Italy |
Hungary |
Netherlands |
1952 |
Hungary |
Yugoslavia |
Italy |
1956 |
Hungary |
Yugoslavia |
Soviet Union |
1960 |
Italy |
Soviet Union |
Hungary |
1964 |
Hungary |
Yugoslavia |
Soviet Union |
1968 |
Yugoslavia |
Soviet Union |
Hungary |
1972 |
Soviet Union |
Hungary |
United States |
1976 |
Hungary |
Italy |
Netherlands |
1980 |
Soviet Union |
Yugoslavia |
Hungary |
1984 |
Yugoslavia |
United States |
West Germany |
1988 |
Yugoslavia |
United States |
Soviet Union |
1992 |
Italy |
Spain |
Unified Team |
1996 |
Spain |
Croatia |
Italy |
2000 |
Hungary |
Russia |
Yugoslavia |
2004 |
Hungary |
Serbia-Montenegro |
Russia |
WOMEN
|
GOLD |
SILVER |
BRONZE |
|
2000 |
Australia |
United States |
Russia |
2004 |
Italy |
Greece |
United States |
HOW IT'S PLAYED
Water polo is played in a pool at least 1.8 meters (5 feet, 11 inches) deep, with a goal 3 meters (9 feet, 10 inches) high and at least 0.9 meters (2 feet, 11 inches) above the water. The goal is marked by vertical posts, a crossbar, and nets, as in soccer and hockey. For the men's sport, the pool is 30 meters (98 feet) long and 20 meters (65 feet) wide. Women play in a somewhat smaller pool, 25 by 17 meters (82 by 56 feet). There are seven players per team, six swimmers and a goalie. The home team wears white caps, the visiting team blue caps, and goalies wear red caps with the number "1" in white or blue.
A game begins with the ball in the center of the pool, and both teams sprint for it from their own goal lines. The ball can be advanced by passing with one hand or "dribbling," swimming with the head above the water and the ball between the arms so it rides on the wave created by the swimmer's head. No player except the goalie can hold the ball with both hands.
Defensive players are not allowed to interfere with an opponent's movements unless the player is holding the ball. Major fouls are penalized by one minute in the penalty box, and a player is ejected after committing five personal fouls. A penalty shot, taken from the 4-meter line, is awarded for fouls near the goal that prevent scoring.
For minor fouls, such as holding or punching the ball, a free throw is awarded from the spot of the foul. The player taking the free throw may pass the ball or drop it and begin dribbling. At least two players must touch the ball after a free throw before a goal can be scored.
A game is divided into quarters ranging from 5 to 8 minutes in length, depending on the level of play. After a tie, there are two overtime periods of 3 minutes each. If the game is still tied after the overtime periods, teams continue to play 3-minute overtimes until there is a decision.