Amid players`protests, The Brazilian Volleyball Federation (CBV) went back on its decision to cut its Olympic gold medalists` first-class airplane travelling privileges. According to famous Brazilian volleyball blogger Bruno Voloch, players threatened to not make the trip to Ankara, Turkey for VNL`s Week 2 of play, to which CBV had no answer but to give in. The problem? It had to take money, about $500k USD, that was to be destined to the institution`s beach volleyball program, to fund the tickets. If our readers remember correctly, we have published many stories about accomplished Brazilian beach volleyball players who have to sell candy and clothing in order to keep their careers afloat, which makes the story even more unbelievable.
However, the story brings another troubling detail. The CBV only funds Olympic gold medalists` first class trips, while the other players have to fly coach. This means that only Tandara Caixeta and Adenizia Silva made a comfortable trip to Ankara, while 12 other very tall players had to travel with their legs up against seats. We all know that the best players in the sport deserve their dues, but isn`t it a bit disturbing that some of the best players in the team have to deal with the fact that they don`t have the same basic privilege, which should be standard for athletes where bodies are so tall and long, as some other players in the team? Are we crazy to wonder if such an arrangement does not cause any kind of chemistry issues inside the team? Tandara and Adenizia deserve their comfort, but what about standout athletes like Beatriz Silva, who carried the team on her back in Week 1 of NVL? How is she feeling right about now?
Money Woes May Force Brazil’s Olympic Champions To Fly Economy Class
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