This quote landed in my inbox a week ago via author John Strelecky’s e- newsletter on Sunday night. It made me think.
“September is the time when trees start to drop their leaves. They let go to make space for new growth in the future. Take this time between summer and autumn to reflect and make room for new possibilities – just like the trees do.”
I also received a message from a friend I'd met for dinner.
“I think you should take the time to write down your experiences of the past few days. The good, the bad, the uncertainty, all from your point of view, having not done anything like this before. End with the story of the rider getting autographs. It was very moving.”
One hot summer's day in July, I was waiting for a bus in my village outside Zürich. There was a poster about the Road and Para-Cycling Road World Championships. Riders would be literally racing right past our apartment.
I've worked in the sport industry for over two decades, and always loved projects with a social impact. I checked out the website and by coincidence, the Head of Comms was the person who first interviewed me for a job at FIFA in 2008. Over a coffee, he explained the bulk of support roles would be carried out by volunteers. Why not apply? A few weeks later I received a positive response and was designated as an anti-doping chaperone for three days. I would also work at the feed zone. I had no idea what it would entail.
On the first Sunday of the event, I attended an anti-doping training course with a group of other volunteers aged between 30-65. One of them had travelled further than most. His home was in a small city 400km from Sao Paulo. Chapeau Rodrigo!
My first race was in para-cycling. As the winner crossed the line - Sergio Garrote Muñoz of Spain - his face was an absolute picture. Exhaustion, mixed with elation. As team staff flocked to congratulate him, I felt a feeling I’d not experienced for a while…tears welling in my eyes.
As a child, I played every sport possible. An archetypal jack of all trades, master of none. When I joined The FA and worked at my first Cup Final, those tears came for the first time. It was the realisation of how lucky and privileged I was to be so close to the action in a role I’d never dreamed could be a job. Hearing Abide with Me in the stadium, which we had played at my Grandad’s funeral, was always a 'moment' too.
Those emotions and feelings of gratitude never left me throughout multiple events around the world with FIFA either. Now I was experiencing this in a new environment.
It returned again as I watched Sergio receive his gold medal in the world champion’s rainbow jersey. Just for a moment, as his anthem ended, he stared straight into my phone, recognising me from earlier, and gave me a beaming smile and a thumbs-up. An hour later, as I walked through a deserted Mixed Zone where the riders give post-race interviews, he was having some photos taken. I asked if I could take one too. A memory of a special morning.
After another shift later the same day, I returned on Friday for my next assignment. We were met with horrendous breaking news. An 18-year-old Swiss cyclist had crashed heavily the day before. She was airlifted to hospital, but tragically died from her injuries. Suddenly, a joyous celebration of sport was anything but.
There was an eerie, impeccably observed minute’s silence in the fan zone that afternoon, which normally was filled with the clanging of Swiss fans’ cow bells. As a black and white photo of her face filled the giant screen, the tears came again. My two daughters are of a similar age to Muriel Furrer. My thoughts were very much with her family. I also thought how tough this sad situation must be for the Head of Comms.
As the crash was under investigation, the statements that could be shared with media were limited. Some media were critical and wanted answers, but those answers were not yet available. I’d been in similar situations before. Although your profession is to be the communications intermediary, it doesn’t mean you are not feeling the same emotions. I sent him a WhatsApp message, just to let him know I was thinking of him too.
With the consent of Muriel's family, it was decided the event would continue.
On Saturday, I walked to the feed zone. Just 500 metres from where I live was a series of white tents where each team would hand out water and food to the cyclists in the women’s elite road race. The weather was suddenly cold and grey, and the rain was torrential.
My job was to collect discarded plastic drinks bottles as the riders approached to take on new liquids. Not rocket science, but it would avoid bottles rolling across the road and potentially causing accidents. My jeans quickly became cold and soaked, but I was in the thick of an elite global sporting event - that passed us four times - and I couldn’t have been happier. The finish went down to a thrilling six-woman sprint won by Lotte Kopecky.
Sunday morning dawned and the sun was back out. At 7.00am, 1500 amateur cyclists rode the course together in memory of Muriel. A beautiful gesture by the event organisers.
Muriel Furrer Memorial Ride
Meanwhile, I was back on anti-doping chaperone duties with another double shift at the finish line. Again, my opening race was in para-cycling, this time won by Dutchman Mitch Valize.
As I was based near the finish line, Mitch and his coach asked me about the medal ceremony. When would it take place? Where? Would the men’s elite medallists have theirs at the same time? More on that later…
Soon after came the men’s elite race. All 273.9km of it. The atmosphere in the centre of Zürich reminded me of the summer of 2008 when Switzerland co-hosted the European Championship and I visited Zürich for my first FIFA interview. People were everywhere along the race route, with a huge group of Eritreans backing their hero, Biniam Girmay.
After I had escorted my designated rider to his post-race test, following an audacious victory by Tadej Pogacar, I walked back to Sechseläutenplatz where the fan zone was situated, about to head home.
There, towering over a group of young children decked out in replica rainbow jerseys asking for autographs, was Mitch. Like Sergio on Thursday, he was wearing his winner’s jersey, with a huge gold medal draped around his neck.
I asked him a question. “Remember this morning when we spoke, and I said your medal ceremony would be at the same time as the elite men? How was it?”
I’d say that Mitch is comfortably two metres tall. I had to tilt my head up slightly to look at his face as he answered. As he did, a huge grin appeared. “I’ve never seen anything like that before” he answered. “All those people were there…and they were there for us too.” He genuinely didn’t think people would care about the para cyclists.
Zürich had decided to run the para-cycling races side-by-side, interspersing events so the riders could also experience the huge crowds. If my interactions with two of them were reflective of the experience of others, I’d say it was an inspired decision.
As I shook Mitch’s hand and wished him well for the future, I felt that familiar surge of emotions. It was a special way to conclude my week. One that had taught me new things, introduced me to new friends and united the community of my adopted city. An experience I will never forget.
If you’re curious about the anti-doping process at an event like this, Swiss broadcaster SRF created a video featuring some of our team: SRF Anti-Doping Explainer Video
