“I didn’t do anything wrong”

She wasn’t on the pitch, but she was one of the players most celebrated by Osasco/São Cristóvão Saúde fans throughout the Women’s Club World Championship in São Paulo. Tifanny was emotional this Sunday (14/12) after the São Paulo team won the bronze medal.

The opposing party could not be registered due to a procedure within the Gender Eligibility Committee of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB). Started a few weeks before the World Cup with an examination and the submission of documents, Tifanny’s procedure was not completed on time, preventing her from participating in the competition.

During the presentation of the bronze medals to the athletes from Osasco, the center of Valquíria wore Tifanny’s jersey on the podium. According to the ceremony, each player was called individually. After the Ginásio do Pacaembu commentator finished with coach Luizomar de Moura, the fans started shouting the name of the opposing team.

Luizomar then looked back and asked Tifanny to take part in the official photo at the awards ceremony. Tiffany comes back in tears and says:

– They took away a dream. They took away my opportunity to be on the field. But they didn’t take away my love for volleyball, for this sport. It’s really very difficult. But I know it’s a fight – he said, before thanking the team, the fans and complaining about the FIVB’s decision:

– It’s a great emotion. We do everything together, we are one team, one body, one heart. They won this medal for me, for everything I have experienced and am experiencing. This emotion comes from knowing that I am loved by all the players, the committee and the entire stand. Even though they got me out of there, they didn’t take away the love that people feel for me and what I feel for the sport. We will never give up, because when they exclude a trans person from sport, they destroy society and the space for inclusion in sport. I didn’t do anything wrong, I have nothing wrong. I respect all the rules. What is happening is simply absurd.