Turkey's national women's volleyball team will go through a tough test to qualify for the Olympic Games once the European Olympic Qualification Tournament begins in Ankara on Monday.
The tournament will go on for six days and eight teams will battle it out for a spot at the Olympics. "The Sultans of the Net" will face the Netherlands, Croatia and Germany in Group A. In Group B, Poland, Russia, Italy and Belgium will play. After four days of the group stage, the semi-finals and final will be played and the winning team will go to Rio 2016. The teams that come second and third will get a chance to qualify in the World Qualifications that will be played in Japan between May 14 and June 5.
As hosts, Brazil were the first country to qualify for the Olympics. FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup Japan 2015 winners China and runners-up Serbia will join the five winners of each Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament.
The qualification tournament for Asian teams will also double as a World Olympic Qualification Tournament and will take place in Japan. The hosts will be joined by the top three ranked teams from Asia according to the FIVB Women's world ranking as well as the second- and third-placed teams from the European Olympic Qualification Tournament, the second-placed team from the South American Olympic Qualification Tournament and the second-placed team from the NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament. The best-ranked Asian team and the top three ranked teams from this tournament will qualify for the Olympics. The final vacancy will be decided at the Intercontinental Olympic Qualification Tournament due to be held from May 14 to June 5. The third-placed team from the South American Olympic Qualification Tournament, the third placed team from the NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament and the second- and third-placed teams from the African Olympic Qualification Tournament will compete for the final berth.
