Tokyo 2020 - Why does one volleyball player have a different colour uniform? Why are some wearing masks at Olympics?
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Published 04/08/2021 at 15:02 GMT
Volleyball is one of the most popular sports in the world and the Olympics is the biggest stage of all for countries to battle it out for the gold medal. Beach volleyball consists of two players on each side but indoor volleyball has six members per team. You want it? We have it. Stream every Olympic event live on discovery+
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The men's and women's volleyball has reached the semi-final stages at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with the world's best just two games away from picking up a gold medal
Brazil are the men's defending champions while China scooped gold at Rio 2016 in the women's competition.
Volleyball has made a regular appearance at the Olympics since 1964 and its popularity, particularly in Europe, continues to grow each year.
But for those fairly new to the sport there will likely be a few questions you'll need answers to...
Why does one volleyball player have a different colour uniform?
Each volleyball team has six members on court during a match and viewers will notice one member has a different colour to the rest of the team.
Much like a goalkeeper in football, who has a different kit to the outfield players, one player in volleyball also has a unique role.
The player wearing the different kit to the rest is called a 'libero'.
Two members of each squad of 12 can be given the position of libero and both must follow a set number of rules.
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Liberos are often tasked with the defensive duties of the game, and while they assist in the offensive plays, they are not the ones jumping at the net to smash the ball to win points.
The libero is only allowed to play in the back row of the court, and they are not allowed to block or attack the ball when it is entirely above net height.
The reason they have to wear a different colour to their team-mates is to help the referee identify them clearly and make it easier for them to enforce the rules of the libero position.
Liberos have only been allowed to be the team captain since earlier this year, after the rules were changed.
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The librero will be wearing a different colour to their team-mates
Image credit: Getty Images
Why are some volleyball players wearing masks?
Athletes wearing masks when not competing and when on the podium collecting medals has become the norm during the current coronavirus pandemic.
While there is no rule enforcing athletes to wear masks when competing in their sport, some players have chosen to compete with masks on.
It is entirely down to the athlete if they want to wear one or not, with some Brazilian players spotted wearing them throughout their matches in Tokyo.
Brazilian pair Lucas Satkamp and Maurico Borges both explained their decisions to wear masks in-game.
Borges said: "For me, it's already become routine.
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Some players have chosen to wear masks when competing in Tokyo
Image credit: Getty Images
"Wherever we go, we have to use it, and it doesn't make any difference to me anymore, because the mask is very good, provided by one of our sponsors."
Satkamp caught coronavirus while his wife was pregnant and revealed that even after he's recovered he continues to wear one.
“If I get infected with the coronavirus, I will spend a lot of time in isolation away from my child and my family," he said.
"My first child, now I keep [it on] more for fear for my wife and child. I am used to training and playing matches with a mask.
"It not only protects me, but also the rest of my colleagues. I do not want to get infected with the virus again.”
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