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In many team sports, there’s usually a player who wears a different jersey to distinguish themselves. Goalkeepers in soccer and hockey are a classic example; in water polo, goalies sport red caps. This distinctive look helps them stand out from the rest of the team.
Indoor volleyball also has a player whose jersey clashes with everyone else’s – the Libero. This defensive specialist role, introduced internationally in 1998, was designed to make matches more exciting by allowing longer rallies, which are the sequences of plays between a serve and the point’s conclusion.
Liberos excel in defense and passing, but they’re not permitted to serve, block, or spike the ball, especially when it’s above the net. They stay in the back row and never rotate to the front row, making them essential in setting up offensive plays without actively participating in attacking the ball themselves.
Volleyball features constant player rotations, and since there’s no limit to how often liberos can be swapped in and out (called 'replacements'), it would be a challenge for referees to track them if they wore the same uniform as the rest of the team. Given the restrictions on their actions, it’s essential for referees to easily identify them without memorizing their details. The FIVB rulebook requires liberos to wear a uniform color that’s clearly distinct from the rest of the team’s attire [PDF].
Simply put, liberos wear different colors for the same reason as goalkeepers: Their role and responsibilities differ from those of the other players, making it simpler for everyone if they’re easily distinguishable.
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