Olympic champion and volleyball Hall of Famer Vyacheslav Zaitsev dies at 70

Olympic champion in the USSR national team Vyacheslav Zaitsev died at the age of 70, the press service of the All-Russian Volleyball Federation (VVF) reports.

– The All-Russian Volleyball Federation announces with deep regret that the famous athlete, champion of the Moscow Olympics, two-time world champion, seven-time European champion, two-time World Cup winner, long-term captain of the Avtomobilist volleyball club, Honored Master of Sports Vyacheslav passed away at the age of 71 Alekseevich Zaitsev.

In addition to colossal sports achievements, it must be said that Vyacheslav Alekseevich was an incredibly kind, open and sympathetic person with a huge heart.

The All-Russian Volleyball Federation expresses condolences to the family and friends of Vyacheslav Alekseevich, as well as to his friends and pupils. For the entire volleyball community, this is a huge and irreparable loss.

Vyacheslav Zaitsev is the champion of the 1980 Olympic Games, the silver medalist of the 1976 Games in Montreal and the 1988 Games in Seoul. On October 18, 2013, the legendary Soviet athlete was admitted to the Volleyball Hall of Fame as one of the best players of the 20th century.