Op-Ed: Losing the Public’s Trust: How Sultans of the Net Fell from Grace
- Esil Korkmaz
- Aug 4
- 8 min read
Updated: Aug 6
The 2025 Women’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) concluded on 27 July, with Italy claiming the championship title for the second consecutive year, Brazil securing second place, and Poland settling for third. On the other hand, the Turkish Women’s National Volleyball Team, which had won first place in 2023, was eliminated by Japan in the quarter finals, bringing the tournament to an early end for Türkiye. However, there are other tournaments to look out for in 2025, like the world championship, meaning that the early farewell can benefit the team by giving them time to rest and focus on their shortcomings.
2023 was thought to be a turning point for Turkish volleyball, with Melissa Vargas joining the team and improving it with her spike heights and effective serves. Her presence also caused structural changes in the team, such as Ebrar Karakurt’s switch from being an opposite hitter to an outside hitter. Same year, the team won the VNL for the first time, elevating them to first place in global rankings. The team’s newly found success not only earned them worldwide recognition but also boosted the players’ public image, with everyone in the country knowing their name, showing support, and protecting the players from online hate.
However, the support was not only because of their athletic success. The team came to symbolize the ideals of the democratic republic founded by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. They were called “the girls of Atatürk,” representing his famous statement, “I like athletes to be intelligent, agile, and also moral.” This association was not only embraced by the public; the players also frequently cited Atatürk and expressed gratitude for the modern republic that enables Turkish women to thrive in sports. The team was seen as a powerful figure for young girls and made efforts to continue this image by participating in state-organized volleyball camps and interacting with children voluntarily to emphasize that including those who are less privileged, can be like their idols with enough effort. The team displayed a united attitude about embracing Atatürk’s ideals for the republic. Their existence alone reminded the Turkish public of the principles they had started to forget while dealing with daily hardships, as well as aggravating any close-minded individuals in the country.
Although the girls received widespread admiration online, not all comments were positive, with people commenting on their sexuality, hair, race, looks, and clothing. However, this only helped reinforce their place as the “girls of Atatürk” because looking out for them had become a public responsibility. As a result, support for the national team remained strong despite declining performance due to injuries until recently.
Since the Paris Olympics, the national team’s level of play has been gradually declining. Despite the injuries of Cansu Özbay, Gizem Örge, Hande Baladın, Zehra Güneş, and Melissa Vargas, who make up five players of the usual starting six, the team won fourth place in the tournament, losing the bronze medal to Brazil. The injuries worsened after the Olympics, and some players still have not returned to peak physical form. The fight the girls put forward in the Olympics was enough to make the public proud as they showcased the resistance and ambition of the Turkish nation.
Around this time, one of Ebrar’s Instagram stories went viral. While the team was traveling to the US for their upcoming matches, they were provided with random Turkish Airlines economy seats for their 13-hour flight. The players, who were all near or over 1.8 meters, with the tallest being 1.98m, were barely able to fit their legs in the limited space between the rows of seats. Ebrar was complaining about this treatment in her story. There were contrasting reactions to the story, with one side shaming Ebrar for being ungrateful and the other advocating for them to have the same privileges as the men’s football team, who are provided with a private jet. Ebrar’s story raised deeper questions about internalized misogyny in the Turkish sports world. Rather than focusing on her tone or the comparison with other teams, it is more important to understand why, despite these women's proven success, they weren’t provided with traveling amenities that were actually suitable for their bodies and were relatively comfortable. Speaking up should not be seen as an entitlement but as a demand for justice that aligns with the principles they stand for. People should rather focus on the events that famous figures refuse to speak up for or are indifferent towards, even though the instance goes against their principles.
The support for the national team started to die down during the protests that erupted after Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s university diploma was cancelled and he was arrested on corruption allegations. The protesters were subjected to disproportionate police violence, which some Turkish celebrities were reluctant to speak up against because of the fear of losing jobs. Aybüke Pusat, for instance, was removed from the TRT1 show “The Shadow Team” (Teşkilat) after publicly supporting national boycotts, a part of the İmamoğlu protests, on her Instagram story. The statement released by the channel read, "The posts of an actor in the ‘Teşkilat’ series are absolutely incompatible with TRT's institutional principles. Due to the posts that have also disappointed the series’ audience, the aforementioned person has been removed from the show.”
Although Turkish National Volleyball Team players were known for their devotion to Atatürk principles, their silence towards the protests was widely thought to be hypocritical. Despite quoting phrases like “The existence of a nation as a state without an independent judicial power is unacceptable,” in their speeches and interviews, many were reluctant to speak up about politics. llkin Aydın was the first to share a public response among the team before others got backlash for their failure to do so. Subsequently, most posted Instagram stories regarding the issue. Still, their stories didn’t mention the words “Imamoğlu,” “protests,” or “police violence.” Instead, they consisted of general statements praising Atatürk’s principles and calling for justice while avoiding pointing fingers at the ones responsible or the specific event. This vague approach appeared performative, designed to maintain their public image without making any direct statements to avoid possible negative consequences. The incident exposed a broader pattern regarding famous Turkish figures: the more attention one receives, the more distant one becomes from the public or national issues. Whether the individual is truly disengaged from the events taking place around them or is simply ignoring them to avoid trouble, their public status makes their silence all the more noticeable.
However, there are exceptions to this pattern, like in the case of Volkan Demirel. Though Demirel has made headlines because of his inclination towards violence, he has also won the hearts of many when he and his wife, Zeynep Demirel, paid for a large portion of the credit card debts left to the families of the 301 miners who died in the disaster in Soma on May 13, 2014. It was reported that Demirel made a special effort to keep this help secret, but it came to public attention after the miner's relatives shared the situation. He made a statement on his Twitter account following the news, “My teammates and I will continue to support, but I want no news to be made on such sensitive issues.”
While there are exceptions, others fitting the generalization should also be mentioned, like Şahan Gökbahar. Gökbahar is a comedian known for his portrayal of Recep Ivedik in the famous movie series with the same name. He was praised for speaking out against the forest fires in Marmaris, positioning him as an environmentalist. However, it was later discovered that his summer house dock in Marmaris was constructed illegally, and investigations into the legality of building the house itself in the middle of Marmaris' wilderness are still ongoing.
Advocating for the environment is even trickier than speaking up against the government’s wrongdoings for Turkish celebrities, as it cannot be reduced to a post with an Atatürk quote over a Turkish flag background. They actually have to cut back on their luxurious lifestyles that produce an excess amount of waste or illegally occupy natural spaces, making their hypocrisy or ignorance easier to spot.
Another controversy regarding the Turkish Women’s Volleyball Team seems to provide evidence for this idea. The team once again made headlines after being eliminated in VNL 2025, which was around the the same time as widespread forest fires across western Türkiye. With thousands of hectares of forest lost, towns under evacuation orders, and firefighting resources inadequate, the wildfires weren’t just a seasonal problem but a national disaster. During this time, when public figures were expected to rise above personal leisure and show solidarity, Ebrar posted an Instagram story that caught the public’s attention. She was singing along to the song “Send Me Your Fire (Ateşini Yolla Bana)” while vacationing on a boat in a region affected by the ongoing fires. Her second story only added to the backlash because of the phrase “Beşiktaş Boat on Fire (Beşitaş Teknesi on Fire),” which was meant to be a football reference but was widely
criticized by many for being inappropriate. The stories displayed Ebrar’s indifference to the nation’s issues while also highlighting how she was more concerned about her public image than using her platform for good, as she only addressed the fires after experiencing backlash like the ones seen in the screenshots below. Thus, her advocacy was seen by many as insincere and image-driven rather than heartfelt, pointing to a pattern of performative activism where statements are only made when reputations are on the line. What was more striking was how quickly the issue was brushed off, since after the backlash, Ebrar deleted her previous stories and acted as if they had never happened, like she had always been deeply engaged with national issues. The rest of the team has also faced backlash for failing to speak out, as their form of “speaking out” was superficial, like
reposting a post or using a template without adding their own words and criticism. She or any other teammates regarding any of their late advocacy attempts have not taken accountability for their hypocrisy and lack of care. The team’s silence, or at best, superficial reposts and vague captions, starkly contrast with the urgency of the wildfire disaster as well as their “principles.” Considering that the team’s rise was built not just on victories but on these values, if they continue to enjoy the privileges of symbolic representation, they must also embrace the responsibilities that come with it, especially in moments of national crisis like the wildfires.
The team posting vacation photos has also caused serious conversation on social media, with the World Championship approaching and the team not being in peak form. They now seem to prioritize celebrity perks over the values and effort that brought them fame, disappointing many who question their dedication. The tweet below reflects numerous public opinions.
Famous figures are famous because of the attention and support they get from the public. The public chooses who to give this privilege to, a privilege that can be taken away in the blink of an eye. This marks a turning point for the Sultan’s of the Net: their identity as “Atatürk’s girls” that was once rooted in struggle, resilience, and national pride is now being questioned due to a loss of public trust.
Edited by: Leyla Hacıoğlu, Emir Şahin
