Georgia Beat Russia in Volleyball

For those who believe that politics should have nothing to do with the Olympic Games, they need only take one look at today’s women’s beach volleyball clash between Georgia and Russia and realise that sport is nothing more than politics in disguise.

Russian and Georgian Problems

In the past few days the former Soviet states of Russia and Georgia have been locked in battle. The war between the two nations has escalated each day, particularly in the city of Gori, in central Georgia, where no less than 56,000 people have left the city in fear for their own safety. That is just the tip of the iceberg, the total of dead people in the area is nearing 400, while a sum of 100,000 citizens have been displaced from their homes.

The war has been fought over the South Ossetia and Abkhazia territories in Georgia who declared independence from Georgia in the early 1990s. Ever since, they have run their own affairs and Georgia want these territories to be back under their control. Upon witnessing the offensive by Georgia, the Russians sent in their army. Thankfully, a ceasefire has been agreed, but how long this will last, only time will tell.

Georgia vs. Russia in Beach Volleyball

With a ceasefire agreed between the two nations it was somewhat fitting that only a few hours later they would do battle on the Beijing sands in the beach volleyball tournament. The first set was a one sided affair that saw the Russians go one set up, winning it 21-10. The second set began as more of the same. The female Georgian pair of Christine Santana and Andrezza Chagas simply couldn’t compete with the dominant Russian pair, Natalia Uryadova and Alexandra Shiryaeva. However, as the Russians held match point at a score of 20-19 in the second set the Georgians began to find some form. As a result they reeled off three straight points and won the second set 22-20 to take it to a deciding set. The third set, a race to fifteen, saw the Georgians go from strength to strength as they fought for every point, thus producing some amazing pick-ups. Eventually, Georgia ran out deserved 15-12 winners in the third set, therefore gaining victory over their Soviet rivals 10-21 22-20 15-12.

Prior to the match all four competitors embraced each other, showing that the two nations can live in harmony, in spite of all that has happened in the last few days. This show of solidarity didn’t last long once the match was complete. The Russians began the war of words claiming that the Georgians were merely competing under a flag of convenience. An accusation that may hold dome merit due to the fact that the Georgian women were born in Brazil and only decided to compete for Georgia after they failed to qualify for their native country. The Russians then raised the stakes by stating that they had not played against Georgians, claiming that a “real” Georgian would have been affected by recent events and that they don’t even know whom the Georgian president is. The naturalised Georgian, Santanna replied, “Of course I know who the president is. It’s Mikheil Saakashvili.”

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