Anthem. Flag. For many, these are simply symbols of the country, but for others, they are the embodiment and recognition of everything they are associated with, especially for athletes. What does it mean to represent your country at the Olympics or World Championships? What does it mean to sing the anthem in a stadium with thousands of spectators singing along, and that unity and pride for the country runs deep?
I want to bring up a very important topic, based on my experience, and try to tell you what it means to me.
Few things in the world have such a unifying force on a national level as sport, especially in the context of large-scale international competitions. Over the past 17 years living in Switzerland, I have become convinced that there are two moments when the Swiss fly their flags: the bank holidays on 1 August and grand sporting events such as the football World Cup.
While in Germany in 2006, I watched the country transform during the World Cup. Germans, after World War II, had not waved flags too often, but during this championship, pride in the national team took over. You could see them everywhere, in every window.
My life started and developed in the Soviet Union, and my childhood was permeated with Soviet ideology. I sincerely believed that I lived in the happiest and fairest country on the planet, and that all the troubles on earth were due to the actions of the damned capitalists. The victory of the USSR women's team in the final of the Olympic Games in Seoul strengthened my decision to become a professional volleyball player. I wanted to wear the same beautiful uniform with the coat of arms and letters of the USSR, sing the anthem of the Soviet Union and represent this great power on the world stage as a member of the national team.
Speaking of the anthem: many people don't know, but in the first decade of independent Russia right after the collapse of the USSR, the anthem was Glinka's music until 2000. Then the music of the Soviet anthem came back, but the words changed. To my shame, I confess that I never learnt the new lines, and they still roll around in my head at the first chords of the anthem: 'The inviolable union of free republics united forever Great Russia...' But, as it turned out, not forever.....
In my book "Ball over the net" I described the events of the 90s, when in three years I managed to play for three different countries: USSR, CIS, Russia.
When Russian athletes, for political reasons, are deprived of the right to play under their own flag, it provokes a lively debate: why are some allowed and others not? Why is sport becoming a political tool and not just a sporting competition? Where does the power that unites sport remain?
What can be a bridge and an open dialogue if not sport? Why is the Olympic Games a confrontation between countries and not between people? Don't spectators want to see the fastest man, not the fastest country?
Attitudes towards sport vary from country to country. In my home country, the goal has always been to be ahead of the curve. We have always been instilled with the idea that we are the face of the country and should not let it down. You have to agree, it's not an easy task.
Athletes, stepping onto arenas and courts, carry not just personal aspirations but also the hopes and dreams of their families and the support system that fuelled their journey. They wrestle not only with opponents but with their own limits, seeking personal victories—a fundamental essence of every sporting contest. In this arena of competition, the essence is to prove one's might, to rise above, and affirm one's strength and prowess. While representing the nation stands significant, the pursuit of self-excellence often takes precedence, for, in essence, family, home, and loved ones are the heartbeats of a nation.
Then how important are national symbols such as the flag and the anthem? On the one hand, my favourite moment before a match is when the crowd in a fully packed arena sings the anthem a cappella. It can be so exhilarating that it sometimes brings tears and a sense of euphoria. I recently had the opportunity to work in Brazil as a technical delegate for the Olympic qualifying tournament. Watching the ten thousand yellow crowd in the Maracanãzinho stadium singing the very upbeat, allegro rhythm of the national anthem made me feel part of something special. At such moments, you realise how important this unity is.
On the other hand, this unity can be overshadowed by political unrest. I worked at a men's volleyball tournament this summer in the Netherlands with eight teams, including the USA and Iran. The organisers had been warned by the Iranian embassy and security about possible 'provocations' by political forces protesting against the government.
In the first match involving Iran, fans appeared in the stands with political placards demanding the release of victims of political repression, for women's rights, etc. Groups of fans also appeared with different flags: the flag of Iran that we know and the flag used before 1979 before the Islamic Revolution, representing the monarchy (with the image of a lion).
The protesters bought tickets in front of the TV cameras, knowing that the match would be broadcast in Iran. Iranian TV and the government demanded that the flags and protesters be removed or the match would not be broadcast. During the second match between Iran and the United States, conflicts broke out among Iranian fans. Security intervened and police appeared outside the arena.
You have to consider the context: we are in the Netherlands, in a country where volleyball is a non-contact and friendly sport, the atmosphere is like a festival. The tournament organisers and those who sold tickets did not break the rules by allowing old flags to be brought in. Sports should stay out of politics. Both Iranian political groups support the Iranian national team.
Organising a competition at this level involves a huge number of participants and they have all been consulted to listen to all sides and weigh up all possible options within the framework of FIVB laws and regulations etc.
By purchasing a ticket to the arena, the spectator agrees to the terms and conditions, including that the use of the arena for political rallies and demonstrations is prohibited. Based on this, security asked spectators to remove or take down anything that could cause conflict. Otherwise, they could be escorted out of the auditorium. The spectators agreed and the matter was resolved.
The problem remained with the flags, which annoyed both Iranian groups that did not share political views. However, from the point of view of the law, there was no reason to remove or ban them.
Still, there were clashes. The security service behaved correctly, but the conflict escalated outside the arena, where the police were waiting for them.
The next day there were two more matches: Poland-Italy and Iran-Netherlands. Tickets were sold separately for the two sessions. At the first match it felt like we were in Poland: the whole hall was red and white with many flags.
At the second match, the home match for the local team, it was forbidden to bring any flags into the arena, neither Iranian nor Dutch flags. This was a rather unusual decision and spectators were given 24 hours notice by SMS. In my opinion, the right decision was made.
The hall was full but without a single flag..... The atmosphere was amazing. The DJ was also given the task of winding up the audience to distract them from the political issues.
However, the absence of flags was stark, robbing the attendees of a symbolic expression closely tied to their identities. Yet, they found unity through their shared passion for volleyball. Amidst the crowd, distinguishing between Iranians holding differing political views, or locals, became a challenge. The unifying factor? Support for the Iranian national team. The audience collectively cheered and revelled in the beautiful game, pushing the match to five exhilarating sets, much to the unease of the security team.
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