Ukrainian volleyball player Oleh Plotnytskyi refuses to shake hands with Russians in Japan: a political protest on the court
International volleyball courts once again witness acts of protest against political conflicts overshadowing not only sports but also modern society.
Ukrainian athlete Oleh Plotnytskyi, who plays for the Italian club ‘Perugia,’ recently made a significant gesture of defiance during an informal match in Tokyo.
During the traditional post-match handshake ceremony, he refused to shake hands with Russian players Dmytro Muserskyi and Yegor Klyuets, who play for the Japanese club ‘Suntory Sunbirds.’This was not just an emotional or sporting gesture — for Plotnytskyi, this game became a platform for expressing protest against the political aggression and war caused by Russia, especially in the context of the Ukrainian-Russian conflict.
In response to journalists’ questions, he explained that he refuses to support any forms of friendship or unity with Russian sports representatives, often associated with political provocations.Overall, the friendly match ended with a 3:1 victory for the Ukrainian-Italian team, but its result took a backseat to the powerful message delivered by Plotnytskyi and other Ukrainian athletes during the competition.
It is noteworthy that the 28-year-old volleyball player has been playing for ‘Perugia’ since 2019 and is one of the team’s leading stars.
He has twice become a world champion with the Italian club and has received numerous other awards.
In Ukraine, he previously played for Kharkiv ‘Lokomotiv’ and was long-time captain of the national volleyball team until he announced his retirement in March last year.This gesture did not go unnoticed in sports circles and sparked widespread discussion about the role of sports in contemporary political space, serving as a vivid example of how sport can be used not only for victories but also for expressing civic positions.