Russia men's national water polo team

The Russia men's national water polo team is the representative for Russia in international men's water polo. The team is a successor of the Soviet water polo team.

Russia

FINA code	RUS
Association	Russian Water Polo Federation
Confederation	LEN (Europe)
Head coach	Sergey Yevstigneyev
Asst coach	Marat Zakirov
Captain	Sergey Lisunov
FINA ranking (since 2008)
Current	14 (as of 9 August 2021)
Olympic Games (team statistics)
Appearances	3 (first in 1996)
Best result	(2000)
World Championship
Appearances	8 (first in 1994)
Best result	(1994, 2001)
World Cup
Appearances	6 (first in 1993)
Best result	(2002)
World League
Appearances	16 (first in 2002)
Best result	(2002)
European Championship
Appearances	13 (first in 1993)
Best result	(1997)
Media
Website	waterpolo.ru

Russia men's national water polo team

Medal record
Representing  Russia
Summer Universiade
	2001 Beijing	Team
	2011 Shenzhen	Team
	2013 Kazan	Team
	2017 Taipei	Team

Logo of the Water Polo Association of Russia

History

In the Russian Empire

Water polo in Russia dates back to 1910, when the sport was included into the national water sports programme. The Shuvalov school was opened back then, featuring rules that differed from the international rules. In 1913, the first water polo tournament was played between the Shuvalov school and Moscow, with the first winning 3–2. The new sport progressed in Russia, as all swimming organizations included this sport into their programme. P. Erofeev and A. Shemansky further populized water polo by publishing brochures with rules and hints.^[1]

In the Soviet Union

As previously, water polo was predominant in Moscow and Leningrad (formerly known as St. Petersburg). However, this changed when the water polo teams of the Black Sea Fleet, Baltic Fleet and Caspian Flotilla further spread water polo in Russia. In the early history, water polo was popular especially among sailors. The strongest teams were Delfin of Leningrad and the Moscow Life Saving Society and the Yacht-Club. Following the resolution by the organizing bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1925, physical culture has been greatly propagated in Russia, stimulating water polo as well.^[2]

The first championship took place in 1925. Apart from the teams of Leningrad, Moscow and Kiev, the tournament featured teams from the Caucasus, Crimea, Ural, as well as the aforementioned fleet teams. Three years later, water polo was included in the All-Union Spartakiade (sports festival). The team of Leningrad dominated in Russian water polo until 1933, as the city had winter water pools and so had more training opportunities. In 1946, the USSR Water Polo Cup was introduced. One year later, the Soviet Union was selected into the FINA. The national water polo then debuted at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Helsinki.^[2]

Results

Olympic Games

Main article: Russia men's Olympic water polo team records and statistics

• 1996 – 5th place^[3]
• 2000 – Silver medal
• 2004 – Bronze medal

World Championship

• 1994 – Bronze medal^[3]
• 1998 – 6th place
• 2001 – Bronze medal
• 2003 – 10th place
• 2005 – 7th place
• 2007 – 7th place
• 2015 – 14th place
• 2017 – 8th place
• 2022 – Disqualified^[4]

World Cup

• 1993 – 5th place^[3]
• 1995 – Bronze medal
• 1997 – 4th place
• 1999 – 4th place
• 2002 – Gold medal
• 2006 – 8th place

World League

• 2002 – Gold medal^[3]
• 2005 – 6th place
• 2006 – 14th place
• 2007 – 13th place
• 2008 – 13th place
• 2009 – 15th place
• 2010 – 13th place
• 2011 – 14th place
• 2012 – Preliminary round
• 2013 – 5th place
• 2014 – Preliminary round
• 2015 – Preliminary round
• 2016 – Preliminary round
• 2017 – 5th place
• 2018 – Preliminary round
• 2019 – Preliminary round
• 2020 – Preliminary round

European Championship

• 1993 – 6th place
• 1995 – 6th place
• 1997 – Bronze medal
• 1999 – 5th place
• 2001 – 5th place
• 2003 – 4th place
• 2006 – 9th place
• 2008 – 10th place
• 2010 – 11th place
• 2014 – 11th place
• 2016 – 8th place
• 2018 – 7th place
• 2020 – 8th place
• 2022 – Disqualified

Current squad

Roster for the 2020 Men's European Water Polo Championship.^[5]

Head coach: Sergey Yevstigneyev

No	Name	Pos.	L/R	Date of birth	Height	Weight	Caps	Club
1	Pyotr Fedotov	GK	R	(1992-07-02) 2 July 1992 (age 33)	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)	84 kg (185 lb)	40	Spartak Volgograd
2	Ivan Suchkov	DF	R	(1995-06-15) 15 June 1995 (age 30)	1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)	97 kg (214 lb)	56	Dynamo Moscow
3	Ivan Vasilev	W	R	(2000-03-25) 25 March 2000 (age 25)	1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)	80 kg (180 lb)	23	Baltika Saint-Petersburg
4	Nikita Dereviankin	CF	L	(1994-06-21) 21 June 1994 (age 31)	1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)	109 kg (240 lb)	60	Sintez Kazan
5	Artyom Ashayev	FP	R	(1988-12-05) 5 December 1988 (age 36)	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)	96 kg (212 lb)	45	Spartak Volgograd
6	Konstantin Kharkov	W	L	(1997-02-23) 23 February 1997 (age 28)	1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)	93 kg (205 lb)	36	HAVK Mladost
7	Daniil Merkulov	FP	R	(1997-03-03) 3 March 1997 (age 28)	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)	105 kg (231 lb)	73	VK Jug
8	Ivan Nagayev	W	L	(1993-11-30) 30 November 1993 (age 31)	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)	93 kg (205 lb)	74	Waspo Hannover
9	Igor Bychkov	CF	R	(1994-01-21) 21 January 1994 (age 31)	2.02 m (6 ft 8 in)	110 kg (240 lb)	45	Dynamo Moscow
10	Konstantin Kiselyov	DF	R	(1995-05-16) 16 May 1995 (age 30)	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)	104 kg (229 lb)	10	Spartak Volgograd
11	Sergey Lisunov (C)	CF	R	(1986-10-12) 12 October 1986 (age 38)	1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)	110 kg (240 lb)	253	Dynamo Moscow
12	Roman Shepelev	FP	R	(1993-08-03) 3 August 1993 (age 32)	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)	86 kg (190 lb)	71	Dynamo Moscow
13	Vitaly Statsenko	GK	R	(1997-07-21) 21 July 1997 (age 28)	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)	95 kg (209 lb)	38	TSOP Moscow

See also

• Russia men's Olympic water polo team records and statistics
• Soviet Union men's national water polo team
• Russia women's national water polo team