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Samuele PapiBorn: May 20, 1973, Ancona, Italy
Enshrined: 2022 Country: Italy Category: Male Indoor Player |
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BIOGRAPHY
Sustained excellence. Those two words can be used to describe the incredible volleyball career of Italian indoor men’s player Samuele Papi.
Like most Italian children, Papi grew up playing futbol and had no idea what volleyball was until the age of 13. It was then he started playing on youth teams and realized that certain movements and actions were easier for him than for his peers. At age 17, Papi made his debut in the Serie A league and found his ability to play volleyball at a high level was something he should focus on as a God-given talent. From then on, determined not to waste the opportunity, Papi started working on his mind and body to dedicate himself to the sport.
He made his international debut with the Italian National Team in 1993 and captured his first FIVB World Championship and first FIVB World League titles in 1994. But that was only the beginning. From there, Papi’s squad captured gold in three events in 1995 and he made his Olympic debut at the 1996 Atlanta Games, where the Italians ran into a talented Dutch squad, influenced by fellow 2022 International Volleyball Hall of Fame inductee Peter Murphy, and finished with the silver medal.
Bouncing back from the defeat, Papi and the Italian men’s national team battled their way to the top of many podiums, including the 1997 and 1999 World League and the 1998 World Championship.
The team finished third at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and second at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, with several top finishes in major international events in between. Papi decided to leave the Italian national team after the 2006 FIVB World Cup in Tokyo but continued to play professionally, recording wins and accolades throughout the years.
In 2012, Papi rejoined the Italian national team to participate in his incredible fourth Olympic Games in London, which resulted in a bronze medal.
All told, Papi appeared in 339 international matches and his teams won four Olympic medals, two World Championship gold medals, three World Cup medals, nine World League medals and five European Championship medals. This doesn’t take into account the astounding success his professional teams had over the course of his 27-year career.
His immeasurable talent and dedicated consistency was felt off the court as well. He was awarded the 2004 Ribbon Officer’s Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, which is conveyed by the President of the Italian Republic and gives credit to an individual who represents the country well in a long and successful career.
For his sustained successes spanning almost 30 years and his impact on the global volleyball scene, we are proud to induct Samuele Papi into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame as a Player.
Like most Italian children, Papi grew up playing futbol and had no idea what volleyball was until the age of 13. It was then he started playing on youth teams and realized that certain movements and actions were easier for him than for his peers. At age 17, Papi made his debut in the Serie A league and found his ability to play volleyball at a high level was something he should focus on as a God-given talent. From then on, determined not to waste the opportunity, Papi started working on his mind and body to dedicate himself to the sport.
He made his international debut with the Italian National Team in 1993 and captured his first FIVB World Championship and first FIVB World League titles in 1994. But that was only the beginning. From there, Papi’s squad captured gold in three events in 1995 and he made his Olympic debut at the 1996 Atlanta Games, where the Italians ran into a talented Dutch squad, influenced by fellow 2022 International Volleyball Hall of Fame inductee Peter Murphy, and finished with the silver medal.
Bouncing back from the defeat, Papi and the Italian men’s national team battled their way to the top of many podiums, including the 1997 and 1999 World League and the 1998 World Championship.
The team finished third at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and second at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, with several top finishes in major international events in between. Papi decided to leave the Italian national team after the 2006 FIVB World Cup in Tokyo but continued to play professionally, recording wins and accolades throughout the years.
In 2012, Papi rejoined the Italian national team to participate in his incredible fourth Olympic Games in London, which resulted in a bronze medal.
All told, Papi appeared in 339 international matches and his teams won four Olympic medals, two World Championship gold medals, three World Cup medals, nine World League medals and five European Championship medals. This doesn’t take into account the astounding success his professional teams had over the course of his 27-year career.
His immeasurable talent and dedicated consistency was felt off the court as well. He was awarded the 2004 Ribbon Officer’s Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, which is conveyed by the President of the Italian Republic and gives credit to an individual who represents the country well in a long and successful career.
For his sustained successes spanning almost 30 years and his impact on the global volleyball scene, we are proud to induct Samuele Papi into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame as a Player.
