The world of Argentine female volleyball has been recently rocked by the news that Yamila Nizetich, captain of the country’s national team, was kicked out the WCH roster by coach Guillermo Orduna only weeks prior to the competition after she criticized the team’s performance during a radio show interview. Nizetich, one of the most capped Argentine players of all time, and arguably the team’s best player, will now have to watch the competition from home.
She recently gave a lengthy account of what transpired with her and the team’s staff during the moments that led to her cut:
“It’s a very hard time for me. I’m devastated, I did not expect this. I had a meeting on Monday with Orduna and his assistant Fabián Muraco when I showed up to train. He explained that he had listened to my interview on the radio. He told me that he did not agree with what I had said and that if I really thought the way I did, I was not in a position to continue in the squad that was going to the WCH. Orduna said that he discussed the situation with teammates in the locker room, on the day of the decision of the coaching staff, and in subsequent days individually.
He came with the decision made up. He did not intend to talk. He did not give me the possibility of dialogue, of expressing my opinion, of understanding what I wanted to say. As for the Federation, total silence. I have not received contact from anyone after all of this. I expected the situation to reverse, that’s why I stayed in Buenos Aires, waiting for things to calm down, that there would be a new opportunity. As a player I always gave the best to the National Team, I always wanted the best and I was always on my feet for what was needed. Now we will have to continue one; these are the hard moments of sport.
“Since I’ve been in the national team, for the past 15 years, I’ve always did my best. My analysis was purely self-critical. I felt empowered to analyze the present of The Panthers and I did it that way. It was about what the Panthers are living right now and what we could do to get to the WCH the best way possible. I deeply regret, from my heart, if someone was offended, touched, if someone did not like my speech. I do not have the absolute truth of anything, I simply gave my analysis as captain of the team and I did it from a self-criticism point of view. Now I’m a fan, I want them to have the best WCH that they can. I want it with all my heart.”
Reading Nizetich’s statement, one cannot but wonder if there is more to the story. An interview in itself is hardly a reason to kick your best player out of the year’s most important competition. What to make of the fact that the rest of the players backed up coach Orduna’s decision? It may be that we’ll never know the true story regarding what really happened.
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