Cisterna Volley (players, staff, and managers totaling 21 people) landed in Dubai on Thursday, February 26th, playing their first match in the NAS Tournament on Friday, February 27th. Iranian attacks against the United Arab Emirates began on Saturday, February 28th. The latest in a series occurred on March 7th, with yet another drone strike on Dubai, right at the airport. The fear of being stranded was overcome yesterday afternoon with the anticipated takeoff. And five minutes after 9:00 PM, they finally disembarked from the bus, embraced by the city. Around a hundred people gathered to await the team at the Palasport, including Cisterna’s deputy mayor, Maria Innamorato, and city council president, Quirino Mancini.
“It was wonderful to find this welcome after ten days that weren’t easy,” emphasized sporting director Candido Grande. “When the attacks began, there was a lot of fear. From Dubai, we tried to convey serenity to families and fans, but we were truly worried. When it seemed that the situation had, in part, calmed down, new attacks arrived on Saturday, always preceded by messages from the UAE government sent to our phones. There were also drones at the airport, and several flights were canceled: we were once again feeling discouraged and fearful of not being able to leave. Luckily, our trip wasn’t canceled, but we spent our last night in Dubai in the lowest part of the hotel. It wasn’t easy; we experienced days we definitely would have avoided, also considering the treatment we received.
