- Germany's volleyball team loses the Olympic quarterfinals
The German volleyball team must bury their medal hopes at the Olympics. The team led by exceptional player Georg Grozer lost to hosts France in the quarter-finals, 2-3 (25-18, 28-26, 20-25, 21-25, 13-15), in front of an impressive crowd at the arena in southern Paris. Coach Michal Winiarski's team was on track for an upset for two sets, but then Tokyo Olympic champions France, fueled by around 10,000 fans in the hall, staged a remarkable comeback.
In Paris, the German team could have become the first from the Federal Republic to win a medal. The DDR team won silver in 1972. Despite their elimination, Coach Winiarski's team played a strong tournament overall. They showed against Japan and the USA that they can keep up with the absolute world elite.
Although the German volleyball team had the opportunity to secure a medal at the Olympic Games in Paris, their hopes were dashed after losing to France in the quarter-finals. Regrettably, this setback prevented them from making history as the first team from the Federal Republic to win an Olympic medal in volleyball, a feat achieved earlier by the East German team in 1972.
