Valentin Prokopov

Valentin Prokopov
Personal information
Born(1929-10-02)October 2, 1929
DiedNovember 5, 2016(2016-11-05) (aged 87)
Sport
SportWater polo
Medal record
Representing  Soviet Union
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 1956 Melbourne Team competition

Valentin Prokopov (Russian: Валенти́н Ива́нович Проко́пов, October 2, 1929 – November 5, 2016[1]) was a Russian water polo player who competed for the Soviet Union in the 1952 Summer Olympics and in the 1956 Summer Olympics. He became notorious for striking Hungarian player Ervin Zádor in the Blood in the Water match.[2]

In 1952 he was part of the Soviet team which finished seventh in the Olympic water polo tournament. He played all nine matches and scored at least two goals (not all scorers are known). Four years later he won the bronze medal with the Soviet team in the 1956 tournament. He played six matches without scoring a goal.

  1. ^ "Панчер, начавший "кровавую баню в бассейне", умер в безвестности. Никто даже не знает, где он похоронен". Советский спорт (in Russian). Retrieved 2023-12-06.
  2. ^ "Blood in the water: Hungary's 1956 water polo gold". BBC News. 20 Aug 2011. Retrieved 20 Aug 2011.