Joël Despaigne Charles (born 2 July 1966), more commonly known as Joël Despaigne, is a retired volleyball player from Cuba who represented his native country in two consecutive Summer Olympics: the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona (fourth place) and the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta (sixth place).[1] He was the captain of the Cuban national volleyball team in the early 1990s.[2]
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Despaigne, known by his nickname "El Diablo" ("The Devil"), was considered among the best volleyball players in the world.[2] He was known for his jumping ability, with a vertical jump estimated to be around 40 inches (1.02 m).[3] He was a powerful spiker, with a spike speed of about 75 miles per hour (121 kph).[2] He had about 350 appearances with the Cuban national team.[4]
Despaigne led the Cuban team to the gold medal at the 1989 FIVB World Cup in Japan.[4] He also helped the Cuban team win the silver medal at the 1990 FIVB World Championship in Brazil,[1] and was named the best player in the world in 1990 by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).[4] He then helped the Cuban team win the gold medal at the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana,[1] followed by the silver medal at the 1991 FIVB World Cup in Japan.[5]
Despaigne was a torchbearer at the opening ceremony of the 1991 Pan American Games.[6]
In 2020, Despaigne won a Fair Play Menarini International Award in the category of "Fair Play" for his sportsmanship.[7]
Despaigne married María Teresa Santamaría, who was a member of the Cuban women's national volleyball team in the 1980s.[8]
