Walter Toussaint

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameWalter•Toussaint
Used nameWalter•Toussaint
Born3 March 1938 in Leipzig, Sachsen (GER)
Measurements183 cm / 80 kg
AffiliationsSC Leipzig, Leipzig (GER)
NOC East Germany

Biography

Walter Toussaint finished an unfortunate fourth with the East German volleyball team at the 1968 Mexico-City Olympics. The Soviet bus was stuck in traffic prior to their match against the GDR and they were 90 minutes late for the match. The East Germans could have taken a forfeit, but elected not to, and the USSR won the match in five sets. Had the USSR defaulted, Czechoslovakia would have won the gold medal, and East Germany would likely have won a medal. After returning home, the supposedly amateur East German players received the same rewards from the government usually accorded to silver medalists.

Nationally Toussaint played with SC Rotation Leipzig, later SC Leipzig, winning eight national titles from 1962-65, and from 1967-1969, and in 1964 the European Cup of Champions.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1968 Summer Olympics Volleyball (Volleyball) GDR Walter Toussaint
Volleyball, Men (Olympic) East Germany 4