Yuri Chesnokov, legend of Russian volleyball, with a long record as a volleyball player and national team coach. He was the first foreign inductee into the US Volleyball Hall of Fame, Vice-President of FIVB and the Russian Volleyball Federation.

In 1953–1966, Yuri Chesnokov was a player of CSKA Moscow, with which he secured eight titles of Soviet Champion. In 1960 and 1962, he won the CEV Cup with the Moscow club. Following his debut in the USSR national team in 1954, he then played for the team in 1960–1964 as its captain. He became the Olympic Games Champion in 1964, two-time World Champion in 1960 and 1962, and bronze medallist of the European Championship in 1963.

In 1969, Yuri Chesnokov started his coaching career. In 1969–1976 and 1984–1990, he ran CSKA Moscow, as a coach of which he took the USSR Champion title 13 times and secured the top position in the CEV Cup seven times. In 1970–1976, he served as the coach for the USSR men’s national team, which he led to win the Olympic Games bronze (1972) and silver (1976), a silver medal at the World Championship (1974) and the European Champion title twice (1971 and 1975).

For over 30 years, Yuri Chesnokov held management positions at FIVB and in 2002–2008 he served as Vice-President of the Federation. In 1996–1999, he was also Vice-President of the Russian Volleyball Federation. He was the first male foreigner to be inducted into the US Volleyball Hall of Fame (2000). In the same year, he was named the sporting legend of the 20th century in Russia.