The International Volleyball Federation has expressed its condolences on the passing of Olympic champion Vyacheslav Zaitsev

The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) has expressed its condolences following the death of 1980 Olympic champion in the USSR national team Vyacheslav Zaitsev.

Zaitsev died on June 12 at the age of 71.

— The FIVB is deeply saddened by the death of Russian volleyball legend Vyacheslav Zaitsev, who died at the age of 70.

The FIVB and the global volleyball family express their deepest condolences to the global volleyball community, family and loved ones of Vyacheslav Zaitsev at this difficult time, the organization said in a statement.

As a member of the USSR national team, Zaitsev also became the silver medalist of the 1976 and 1988 Olympics. He won the championship twice and the World Cup twice, became seven times European champion. Zaitsev is inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame.