By Canadian Press

Canadian volleyball men to open against Rio runner-up Italy at Tokyo Olympics

Feb 13, 2020 | 6:29 AM

LAUSANNE, Switzerland — The Canadian men’s volleyball team will open against Rio silver medallist Italy at the Tokyo Olympics.

Canada, ranked 10th in the world, will then play No. 9 Japan, No. 8 Iran, No. 32 Venezuela and No. 2 Poland in Pool A play. Italy is ranked seventh in the world.

Pool B is made up of No. 1 Brazil, No. 3 U.S., No. 4 Russia, No. 5 Argentina, No. 6 France and No. 17 Tunisia.

The top four teams in each of the two groups advance to the quarterfinals.

Coach Glenn Hoag’s Canadian team qualified in January by going unbeaten in a four-team, round-robin qualifier in Vancouver. The 18th-ranked Canadian women failed to qualify at a last-chance tournament in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

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The Canadian men finished tied for fifth at the 2016 Rio Olympics, losing to Russia in the quarterfinals.

Volleyball runs July 25 to Aug. 9 at the Summer Olympics. All matches will be held at the newly constructed Ariake Arena in Tokyo.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 13, 2020.

The Canadian Press