Valentin Prokopov

{{short description|Soviet water polo player (1929-2016)}}

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| sport = Water polo

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| birth_date = {{birth date|1929|10|2|df=y}}

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| death_date = {{death date and age|2016|11|5|1929|10|2|df=y}}

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{{MedalCompetition|Olympic Games}}

{{MedalBronze| 1956 Melbourne | Team competition}}

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Valentin Prokopov ({{langx|ru|Валенти́н Ива́нович Проко́пов}}, 2 October 1929 – 5 November 2016{{Cite web |title=Панчер, начавший "кровавую баню в бассейне", умер в безвестности. Никто даже не знает, где он похоронен |url=https://www.sovsport.ru/water_polo/articles/geroy-matcha-kotorym-voskhischalsya-tarantino-istoriya-vaterpolista-prokopova |access-date=2023-12-06 |website=Советский спорт |language=ru}}) 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.{{cite news|title = Blood in the water: Hungary's 1956 water polo gold|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-14575260|publisher = BBC News|date = 20 Aug 2011|access-date = 20 Aug 2011}}

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.