No Olympics for Belgium's men's volleyball team
Belgium's men's volleyball team will not participate in next year's Olympic Games in Paris. Argentina's victory over the Netherlands in the qualifying tournament in China means a top-two finish in the group is out of reach for the Red Dragons.
Belgium lost 3-2 on Sunday to Bulgaria, who had already been eliminated. With a record of four wins and two defeats, the Belgians needed to win in Xi'an to book their ticket to Paris.
With Argentina too strong for the Netherlands (3-0), the South Americans are through with one more victory than Belgium. Canada can also leapfrog Belgium if they beat Mexico on Sunday. Poland are assured of qualification after six wins in a row.
The top two teams in the three groups qualify for the Paris Olympics. Five other countries qualify based on world rankings, along with hosts France. Each continent must have at least one representative. This will be impossible for Belgium, who are only 17th in the world rankings.
The country has only been to the Olympics once before, in Mexico City in 1968, where they finished eighth out of 10 countries. Belgium was allowed to take part as a substitute for Romania.
© BELGA PHOTO VIRGINIE LEFOUR
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