A Quick Guide to Sitting Volleyball 🏐

What is Sitting Volleyball?

A variant of volleyball, sitting volleyball is played by two teams of 6 players who sit on the floor and use their arms to move around during matches. With smaller court (10m x 6m) and lower net (1.15m for men, 1.05m for women) than Olympic volleyball, ParaVolley is a fast-paced game with intense matches.

Eligible impairments include permanent physical impairment that affects lower or upper limbs, such as amputation, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, stroke, or impaired muscle power.

Team Iran, aka king of sitting volleyball, have won 8 gold and 2 silver since their debut at Seoul 1988 Paralympics. Hitting the ball was Morteza Mehrzadselakjani, the tallest SV player in the world (2.47m), also world's second tallest living man. Credit: Olympics

How to Play?

Using same rules as its Olympic counterpart, sitting volleyball is played by athletes with physical impairments divided into two sport classes, VS1 and VS2 that differentiate the extent of impairment.

There are two unique rules, though:

1. All players' pelvis must always stay in contact with the floor for valid play; and

2. Upon serving, players are permitted to block the ball.

Sitting volleyball is played the same as Olympic volleyball, except using a smaller court and lower net. Credit: I'mPOSSIBLE education programme

Team China, queen of sitting volleyball, have won 3 gold and 3 silver between 2004 and 2024 Paralympics. Credit: Olympics

In Hong Kong

Sitting volleyball is a sport perfectly suitable for young learners because of the common availability of indoor sport facilities in primary and secondary schools. That also makes SV a great, easily adapted/modified exercise for the disabled and seniors.

You may find out more about the sport via Jockey Club Volleyball Community Programmes held by VBAHK.

The inclusivity of sitting volleyball, and the readily available indoor facilities in most educational institutes, make the sport a fun activity for all. Credit: CUHK SPE