Kurdish Players Threatened After Raising Kurdistan’s Flag at Volleyball Championship

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Tension has erupted within Iraq’s volleyball community after nine Kurdish athletes were threatened with disciplinary action by the Iraqi Volleyball Federation for raising the Kurdistan flag following their bronze medal victory at the West Asia Women’s Volleyball Championship.

The incident occurred after the Iraqi women’s volleyball team, which included several Kurdish players, won third place in the continental tournament. The team had achieved their podium finish after defeating Jordan, having earlier faced strong competition from Saudi Arabia and Qatar before falling to Lebanon and Jordan in the semifinals.

According to information obtained by Kurdistan24, immediately following the final match, the Kurdish athletes—overcome with emotion and pride—raised the Kurdistan flag in celebration. This act drew a furious response from Habib Lawandi, President of the Iraqi Volleyball Federation, who reportedly became enraged and threatened to punish the nine Kurdish players involved in the gesture.

The Kurdish athletes, Dishni Qasim, Kajin Jalal, Bahra Hamid, Diya Walid, Helin Omar, Hamisha Wshyar, and Priva Rizgar, along with two teammates, represented Iraq’s national team in the regional tournament. They played a key role in securing the bronze medal, which marked one of Iraq’s strongest showings in recent years.

Sources confirmed that the federation’s president has demanded “disciplinary measures” against the players, describing the act of raising the Kurdistan flag as “a violation of the team’s code of conduct.” Kurdish sports observers, however, view the celebration as a spontaneous expression of pride and identity, noting that the players had dedicated their victory to “all women and athletes of Kurdistan.”

Adding to the controversy, the Iraqi Volleyball Federation’s official social media accounts posted photos of the team holding the Iraqi national flag, but deliberately omitted any image showing the Kurdistan flag raised by the Kurdish athletes. The federation’s posts highlighted the team’s achievement in securing third place but made no mention of the symbolic flag-raising moment that has since gone viral among Kurdish fans online.

The Iraqi women’s volleyball team had traveled to Saudi Arabia and Qatar to compete in the West Asia Championship, ultimately earning the bronze medal after a series of intense matches. Their performance drew praise from sports fans across Iraq, though the federation’s reaction has now overshadowed what should have been a moment of unity and pride.

The controversy comes amid a broader context of Kurdish athletic success. On August 30, 2025, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani congratulated the athletes and coaches of Sanharib Club in Duhok, Akad in Ankawa, and Qaraqush/Bakhdida, which had claimed first, second, and third place respectively in the Iraqi national volleyball championships.

In a statement on his official X account, Prime Minister Barzani praised the dedication and skill of the athletes, emphasizing the Kurdistan Regional Government’s support for sports development and athletic talent across the Region. “Warmest congratulations to the leaders, coaches, and players of the Sanharib Club in Duhok, Akad in Ankawa, and Qaraqush/Bakhdida for achieving first, second, and third places in the Iraqi national volleyball championships,” he said, reaffirming his government’s “unwavering support” for sports institutions in Kurdistan.

Volleyball has become one of the most popular sports among Kurdish youth, combining teamwork, agility, and strategy. National competitions have allowed Kurdish athletes to compete shoulder-to-shoulder with players from across Iraq, raising the overall standard of the sport and amplifying the visibility of regional clubs.

For many in Kurdistan, the act of raising the Kurdistan flag on an international stage—particularly by women athletes—carries profound emotional weight. It symbolizes resilience, identity, and pride, transcending the boundaries of sport.

Athletes such as Perzha Rizgar, who previously led the Sanhareeb Women’s Volleyball Club to championship victory in Duhok, have embodied this spirit. Upon her team’s earlier triumph, she declared with confidence, “We are the eagles of the mountains—we don’t just play the final, we win it.”

Observer note that the current controversy has reignited debate over representation and respect for Kurdish athletes who compete under the Iraqi flag but remain deeply connected to their Kurdish heritage. Sports commentators and civic leaders across the Kurdistan Region have called on the Iraqi Volleyball Federation to respect cultural expression and refrain from punitive measures.

For now, the nine Kurdish volleyball players who helped lift Iraq to third place at the West Asia Championship stand as symbols of dual pride—representing both their country and their homeland. Their moment of celebration, marked by the unfurling of the Kurdistan flag, has united Kurds in solidarity and admiration, even as it exposes lingering tensions within Iraq’s sports institutions.