[Previous edition: Munich 1972] [Following edition: Moscow 1980]

The 1972 Olympics epitomised the political scenario of that decade. The Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union was extended to sports and the rivalry became even stronger following the controversial final match in the basketball tournament. Indeed, the memories of the terrorist attack against the Israeli athletes perpetrated by the Black September organisation were still vivid. Therefore, for the 1976 edition of the Games, not only did the IOC want to raise the level of security, it also decided not to stage the event in a major country, due to the fear of political consequences. It was the city of Montréal to win the bid over Moscow and Los Angeles, which would respectively host the Games for the following two editions. For the sixth time, the Olympics were not held in a capital city.

The Montréal Games went down into history for their massive costs – $6bn in 2009 dollars -, but also for remarkable performances by legendary athlete. It was in Canada that 14-year-old Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci scored seven perfect 10.0 and won three gold medals. In the same sport, Japan won the team championship also thanks to Shun Fujimoto, who performed despite her broken knee. Italian Klaus Di Biasi triumphed for the third consecutive time in platform diving, Cuban Alberto Juantorena became the only athlete to win both the 400 and the 800 metres in track and field, whereas East Germany and the United States dominated respectively in women’s and men’s swimming races. Needless to say, Hungary, Italy, the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia were supposed to do the same in the water polo tournament.

The 1976 edition of the competition, entered by 12 national teams, was the first to be staged after the launch of the World Aquatics Championships, contested in Belgrade in 1973 and in Cali in 1975 – that is to say, just one year after the Munich Games and one year before the Montréal ones. The Italians, the Magyars and the Soviets always finished in the first three places and the eventual gold medallists in Canada would get one of these citizenships.

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The gold medal holders were the national team surrounded by the greatest expectations, but in the end they emerged as the biggest disappointment of the tournament. After a 5-5 draw with Romania, the Soviet Union lost by one goal to the Netherlands – Aleksandr Dreval and Vladimer Iselidze netted for the team after two goalless periods – and defeated Mexico 7-4, although this did not suffice for the qualification for the next round.

The Montréal squad was probably the most multi-ethnic in the history of Soviet water polo, for they featured two Byelorussians – Anatolij Klebanov and Vitalij Romančuk -, two Georgians – Nuzgari Mshvenieradze, son of P’etr’e, and Vladimer Iselidze -, two Ukrainians – Oleksij Barkalov and Aleksandr Zaharov -, one Kazakh – Sergeij Kotenko – and four Russians.

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Italy topped Group A by preceeding Yugoslavia, back from a poor 13th place at the World Championships, and Cuba, who on the contrary finished just out of the podium in Cali. Iran, who made their debut in Olympic water polo, played the role of minnow, as they heavily lost all games and conceded 39 goals in just three matches. Similarly, Hungary got the first place in Group C by beating Australia, Canada and, more importantly, West Germany.

Both the Italians and the Magyars relied upon profilic goal scorers – Gianni De Magistris (pictured left) and Tamás Faragó. The former has set up a record which still remains unbettered in Italian water polo – 14 goals in a single match – and netted 11 times, whilst Faragó was the leading scorer of the tournament with 22 goals. They both succeded as managers in women’s water polo – De Magistris won the domestic title and the Champions Cup with Fiorentina, the side from his birthplace, and Faragó triumphed with the Hungary national team.

Germany was once more represented only by the team from the Federal Republic. The squad featured twins brothers Günter and Horst Kilian, Werner Obschernikat, son of former poloist Alfred, and Roland Freund, born in Romania in 1955. Notably, Canada got their first win in water polo at the Olympics as they overcame Australia 6-5. Mexico attempted to astound after the gold medal won at the Pan American Games the year before, but they just lost all matches in the group stage. This was the last edition played by Armando Fernández representing his homecountry, as he later got the West German citizenship.

The final round was opened by the forfeit given by the Soviet team in the match against Cuba, who was consequently awarded a 5-0 victory. An official statement said many players were sick, but it was believed they just felt bitter about the failed qualification for the gold medal round. They were convinced to play on and eventually ended in the 8th place, just behind Cuba.

If the presence of Hungary, Italy and Yugoslavia in the gold medal group was not a surprise, certainly it was unusual to see the Netherlands, Romania and West Germany contesting for the podium. The 6-5 victory by the Magyars in the first match day against the Settebello, inspired by four goals by Tamás Faragó, would turn to be fundamental for Hungary to win their sixth gold medal at the Olympics. Unexpectedly, Yugoslavia did not manage to win a single match in this stage of the tournament, whereas the goals scored by Nico Landeweerd and Hans van Zeeland made the Dutch dream of the historical first Olympic medal true. They ended in the second place alongside Italy, not only with the same score but also with the same goal average. The Settebello was finally awarded the silver medal thanks to the higher number of goals scored in the gold medal round (21 to 18).

Fixtures

Preliminary round

Group A

18 July

Italy 12-1 Iran (4-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-1) - G. De Magistris 4, Ghibellini 3, Baracchini 2, Simeoni 2, Marsili; B. Tavakoli

Yugoslavia 4-4 Cuba (1-0, 0-2, 2-1, 1-1) – Manojlović, Marović, Bonačić, Savinović; G. Rodríguez 2, Rizo 2

19 July

Italy 8-6 Cuba (1-1, 2-1, 2-1, 3-3) – Ghibellini 3, Del Duca 2, G. De Magistris, Marsili, Baracchini; G. Rodríguez 2, Rizo, Costa, Peña, O. García

Yugoslavia 15-0 Iran (3-0, 4-0, 4-0, 4-0)  - Belamarić 6, Marović 4, Polić 2, Manojlović 2, Savinović

20 July

Cuba 12-3 Iran (2-1, 4-0, 3-1, 3-1) - O. García 6, Almenteros 2, G. Rodríguez, Pérez, Rizo, Costa; Firouzpour, B. Tavakoli, J. Tavakoli

Yugoslavia 6-6 Italy (2-0, 2-3, 2-2, 0-1) - Belamarić 3, Savinović 2, Lozica; Ghibellini 2, D’Angelo, G. De Magistris, Marsili, Baracchini

Group B

18 July

Romania 5-5 Soviet Union (1-1, 2-2, 2-2, 0-0) - Rus 2, Popescu 2, I. Slăvei; Dreval 2, Mshvenieradze, Melnikov, Barkalov

Netherlands 5-3 Mexico (1-1, 1-1, 2-0, 1-1) - Landeweerd 2, van Zeeland, de Zwarte, Buunk; Fernández 2, J.M. García

19 July

Romania 8-3 Mexico (4-1, 1-1, 2-1, 1-0) - Cl. Rusu 2, Popescu 2, Co. Rusu 2, Nastasiu, I. Slăvei; Yañez, Fernández, Valencia

Netherlands 3-2 Soviet Union (1-0, 1-0, 1-1, 0-1) - Toonen, Smits, Buunk; Iselidze, Dreval

20 July

Mexico 4-7 Soviet Union (1-2, 1-1, 1-1, 1-3) - Fernández 3, Beristain; Romančuk 3, Kabanov 2, Barkalov, Kotenko

Netherlands 6-5 Romania (1-2, 1-2, 2-0, 2-1) - Stroboer 2, Landeweerd 2, Buunk, van Zeeland; Co. Rusu, Cl. Rusu, I. Slăvei, Schervan

Group C

18 July

Hungary 7-6 Australia (2-1, 2-3, 3-1, 0-1) – Faragó 3, Harkai 2, Gerendás, Szivós; Turner 3, Goff, Kerr, Brooks

West Germany 5-0 Canada (0-0, 2-0, 1-0, 2-0) – Steiefel 2, H. Kilian, Obschernikat, Simon

19 July

Hungary 4-2 Canada (2-0, 1-0, 1-1, 0-1) - Faragó 3, Konrád; Ducharme, Pottier

West Germany 4-3 Australia (2-0, 1-1, 1-1, 0-1) - H. Kilian 2, Obschernikat, Stiefel; Turner, Kerr, Brooks

20 July

Canada 6-5 Australia (2-1, 3-0, 0-1, 1-3) - Pottier 3, Gross 2, Ducharme; Turner 3, Goff, Kerr

West Germany 0-4 Hungary (0-2, 0-1, 0-1, 0-0) – Csapó, Horkai, Sárosi, Faragó

7th-12th place round

22 July

Cuba 5-0 Soviet Union (forfait)

Canada 4-3 Australia (2-0, 0-0, 1-2, 1-1) Pottier 2, Gross, MacLeod; Turner 2, Kerr

Mexico 11-3 Iran (3-0, 2-1, 1-1, 5-1) - Valencia 5, Fernández 4, Yañez, Aguilar; Nassim 2, Mohammadi

23 July

Canada 5-7 Cuba (2-2, 1-1, 1-3, 1-1) - Pottier 2, Gross, Turcotte, Hart; Almenteros 3, Rizo 2, N. Domínguez, G. Rodríguez

Mexico 3-4 Soviet Union (0-2, 1-1, 1-1, 1-0) – Fernández 2, Valencia; Dreval 2, Iselidze, Kotenko

Australia 8-2 Iran (4-0, 3-0, 1-1, 0-1) - Turner 2, Goff, D. Woods, Kerr, Montgomery, Mills, Neesham; Firouzpour 2

24 July

Canada 8-1 Iran (4-0, 1-1, 2-0, 1-0) - Ducharme 2, Pottier 2, Gross, MacLeod, Turcotte, Csepregi; B. Tavakoli

Mexico 4-4 Cuba (3-2, 1-0, 0-0, 0-2) - Fernández 4; G. Rodríguez 2, Costa, O. García

Australia 2-7 Soviet Union (0-2, 0-2, 0-1, 2-2) Kerr, D. Woods; Kabanov 2, Barkalov 2, Romančuk 2, Dreval

25 July

Canada 6-6 Soviet Union (2-0, 2-2, 0-2, 2-2) – Gross 2, Ducharme, Pugliese, Turcotte, Pottier; Barkalov 2, Iselidze, Melnikov, Kabanov, Romančuk

Cuba 10-2 Iran (2-0, 3-0, 5-1, 0-1) - Rizo 3, G. Rodríguez 2, Almenteros 2, D. Rodríguez 2, Peña; Majdpour 2

Mexico 4-4 Australia (0-2, 2-1, 2-1, 0-0) - Valencia 2, Coste, Aguilar; Turner 3, Langdon

26 July

Soviet Union 16-0 Iran (4-0, 3-0, 4-0, 5-0) – Iselidze 4, Kabanov 3, Dreval 3, Mshvenieradze 2, Dolgušin 2, Melnikov, Kotenko

Cuba 8-5 Australia (3-1, 2-0, 1-2, 2-2) - Almenteros 2, Rizo 2, O. García 2, Pérez, Peña; Goff 2, Turner, Brooks, Mills

Canada 4-4 Mexico (0-0, 2-0, 0-3, 2-1) - Gross, Turcotte, Pottier, Hart; Valencia 2, Beristain, Aguilar

Gold medal round

22 July

Italy 5-6 Hungary (1-1, 2-1, 1-3, 1-1) - Marsili 2, G. De Magistris, Ghibellini, Simeoni; Faragó 4, Harkai 2

Romania 5-5 Yugoslavia (1-1, 1-2, 2-1, 1-1) – I. Slăvei 3, Popescu 2; Marović 2, Savinović 2, Bonačić

Netherlands 3-2 West Germany (0-0, 2-1, 1-0, 0-1) - Evert Veer 2, van Zeeland; Wolf, Stiefel

23 July

Italy 5-4 Yugoslavia (1-1, 1-2, 1-0, 2-1) - Marsili 2, Ghibellini 2, D’Angelo; Belamarić, Lozica, Savinović, Bonačič

Netherlands 4-4 Romania (1-1, 2-1, 1-1, 0-1) - van Zeeland 2, Buunk, Landeweerd; I. Slăvei 2, Cl. Rusu, Popescu

Hungary 5-3 West Germany (2-1, 1-1, 2-0, 0-1) - Faragó 2, Horkai 2, Szivós; Wolf, Stiefel, Simon

24 July

West Germany 4-4 Yugoslavia (1-1, 1-1, 0-1, 2-1) – Wolf, Obschernikat, Stiefel, ?; Bonačić 2, Savinović, Marović

Netherlands 3- 5 Hungary (0-2, 0-1, 1-2, 2-0) - Landeweerd, van Zeeland, de Zwarte; Faragó 4, Harkai

Italy 4-4 Romania (0-1, 3-1, 0-2, 0-1) - G. De Magistris, Ghibellini, D’Angelo, Marsili; I. Slăvei, Rus, Nastasiu, Schervan

25 July

Romania 8-9 Hungary (1-3, 2-2, 3-2, 2-2) – Cl. Rusu 2, F. Slăvei 2, Popescu, Nastasiu, Zamfirescu, Co. Rusu; Csapó 2, Harkai 2, Faragó 2, Szivós 2, Sárosi

Italy 4-3 West Germany (0-1, 1-1, 1-1, 2-0) - Baracchini 2, G. De Magistris, Marsili; Wolf, H. Kilian, Stiefel

Netherlands 5-3 Yugoslavia (1-1, 1-1, 2-0, 1-1) - Landeweerd 2, van Zeeland 2, Buunk; Savinović 2, Marović

26 July

Yugoslavia 5-5 Hungary (0-1, 1-0, 2-2, 2-2) - Marović 3, Belamarić, Bonačić; Faragó 3, Csapó, Sárosi

West Germany 3-5 Romania (0-1, 0-2, 3-1, 0-1) - Weeke 2, Wolf; Schervan 2, Co. Rusu, Cl. Rusu, Rus

Netherlands 3-3 Italy (1-1, 0-1, 0-0, 2-1) - Buunk 2, van Zeeland; G. De Magistris 2, Del Duca

Squads

Hungary: Endre Molnár, István Szivós, Tamás Faragó, László Sárosi, Ferenc Konrád, Tibor Cservenyák, György Horkai, Gábor Csapó, Attila Sudár, György Kenéz, György Gerendás.

Italy: Alberto Alberani Samaritani, Roldano Simeoni, Silvio Baracchini, Sante Marsili, Marcello Del Duca, Gianni De Magistris, Alessandro Ghibellini, Luigi Castagnola, Riccardo De Magistris, Enzo D’Angelo, Umberto Panerai.

Netherlands: Evert Kroon, Alex Boegschoten, Toni Buunk, Andy Hoepelman, Nico Landeweerd, Hans Smits, Gijze Stroboer, Rik Toonen, Jan Evert Veer, Hans van Zeeland, Piet de Zwarte. Coach: Ivo Trumbić.

Romania: Florin Slăvei, Cornel Rusu, Gheorghe Zamfirescu, Adrian Nastasiu, Dinu Popescu, Claudiu Rusu, Ilie Slăvei, Liviu Răducanu, Viorel Rus, Adrian Schervan, Doru Spînu.

Yugoslavia: Miloš Marković, Ozren Bonačić, Uroš Marović, Predrag Manojlović, Ðuro Savinović, Damir Polić, Siniša Belamarić, Dušan Antunović, Dejan Dabović, Boško Lozica, Zoran Kačić.

West Germany: Günter Kilian, Ludger Weeke, Hans Simon, Jürgen Stiefel, Roland Freund, Wolfgang Mechler, Martin Jellinghaus, Werner Obschernikat, Horst Kilian, Peter Röhle, Günter Wolf.

Cuba: Oscar Periche, Osvaldo García, Ramon Peña, Lazaro Costa, David Rodríguez, Nelson Domínguez, Jorge Rizo, Eugenio Almenteros, Jesús Pérez, Gerardo Rodríguez, Oriel Domínguez.

Soviet Union: Anataloij Klebanov, Sergeij Kotenko, Aleksandr Dreval, Aleksandr Dolgušin, Vitalij Romančuk, Aleksandr Kabanov, Oleksij Barkalov, Nikolaij Melnikov, Nuzgari Mshvenieradze, Vladimer Iselidze, Aleksandr Zaharov.

Canada: Guy Leclerc, Gabor Csepregi, David Hart, Paul Pottier, Gaétan Turcotte, Clifford Barry, Jim Ducharme, Rick Pugliese, George Gross, John MacLeod, Dominique Dion.

Mexico: Daniel Gómez, Francisco García, Javier Guerra, Maximiliano Aguilar, Arturo Valencia, Juan Manuel García, Armando Fernández, Víctorino Beristain, Jorge Coste, Juan Yañez, Alfred Schmidt.

Australia: Paul Williams, David Neesham, Ian Mills, Peter Montgomery, Edmond Brooks, Andrew Kerr, Ross Langdon, Charles Turner, David Woods, Randall Goff, Rodney Woods.

Iran: Firouz Abdul Mohammadian, Jahangir Tavakoli, Haydar Shonjani, Ahmed Paidayesh, Darioush Mohammadi, Bahram Tavakoli, Kamran Firouzpour, Manouchehr Parchami-Araghi, Hussain Nassim, Abdul Reza Majdpour, Ahmed Yaghoti.

Sources

Sports Reference

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