Oleg Plotnitsky Confirms Return to National Volleyball Team

Oleg Plotnitsky, one of Ukraine's leading volleyball players, has confirmed his decision to return to the national team. This announcement comes after he had previously declared his retirement from international play in early 2025 due to ongoing disagreements with the Ukrainian Volleyball Federation.

After a prolonged hiatus, the situation began to change towards the end of last year. Plotnitsky engaged in a constructive conversation with Ukraine's head coach Raul Lozano, which opened the door for his return. However, at that time, unresolved organizational issues still hindered a final decision.

Now, Plotnitsky has officially stated that he will don the national team jersey once again in 2026. In his explanation, the athlete noted that his previous decision to step away from the team was partly driven by a desire to avoid the constant media pressure associated with his absence from the squad.

“Every refusal to accept a call-up was accompanied by a wave of discussions, which negatively impacted both me and the team. That’s why I decided to put an end to it, to allow focus on those who are consistently representing the national team,” Plotnitsky explained.

The athlete also shared his thoughts on why he chose not to return earlier: “This year I will come back. Let’s say… I said goodbye to the team because it was easier for everyone. Every time they send a call, I respond ‘no,’ and then the news starts that Plotnitsky didn’t come again, and so on. Then I thought: it’s better not to return, because it’s not good for the team. Right? You can talk about the players who are actually on the team, who play for the national team… You can talk about them, not about me,” he noted.

Plotnitsky's return to the national team comes at a crucial time for Ukrainian volleyball. In 2026, the Ukrainian national team will enter its second season in the Nations League and will also participate in the European Championship, which will be a defining stage in the team's preparation for future competitions.

At the club level, Plotnitsky continues to demonstrate high-class performance. As part of the Italian team Perugia, he has already won the Club World Championship and helped his team reach the semifinals of both the Champions League and the Italian Championship. Additionally, the Ukrainian player received an individual award, becoming the MVP of one of the decisive matches in the Champions League.

Fans eagerly await Oleg Plotnitsky's return to the national team and hope for his successful performances in upcoming competitions.

Photo: Sir Safety Perugia Volley.

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