From runner Sajati to football stars
In sports, the story of coronation and success does not end at the end of the competition. After every positive result and after every coronation, athletes are keen to express their joy with special rituals and signs that carry with them encrypted messages of different dimensions. This player puts his finger to his mouth, another raises his hands to the sky, and a third draws a letter with his fingers, while one of them places his hand on his heart or sends a kiss towards the stands or other signs that may seem spontaneous, but in many cases they carry a message, memory, or dedication to a person. What, and sometimes it is just a special ceremony that the player used to do as a matter of tradition.
Djamel Sjati did not need much talk after being crowned on Sunday evening with the gold medal in the 800-meter race at the Elite World Championships in the Hungarian capital, Budapest. After crossing the finish line in first place, the Algerian runner chose to celebrate by pointing the index finger placed over his mouth, in a movement that is usually understood as a “Be quiet” message. The signal quickly caught attention, as what Sjati did brings to the forefront an old phenomenon that is renewed daily in the world of sports, which is a celebration that turns To an encrypted message, the player or athlete does not always celebrate a victory simply to express his joy. Rather, he may use the seconds following the achievement to send a message to his critics, dedicate his success to his fans, express his beliefs, commemorate a person he lost, or other gestures made by the person who made that sign.
In football in particular, goal celebrations have become part of the culture of the game, to the point that some signs have become more linked to the names of their owners than to the goal itself. One of the most famous of these signs is placing the index finger on the mouth, a movement that has gained international fame and in many cases means “silence” or “let the actions speak.” Major stars have resorted to it on various occasions, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Mario Balotelli, Kylian Mbappe and others, especially when the player entered the match under pressure or was exposed to previous criticism, and in such cases it becomes the goal. It serves as the first response, while the signal comes to confirm the message. Perhaps the attractiveness of this movement lies in its simplicity. The player does not need to say, “You have wronged me” or “You doubted my abilities.” Rather, it is enough for him to place his finger on his mouth, as if he is saying to everyone, “You have spoken a lot, and now let the result speak.”
However, the language of celebrations is not limited to responding to critics. Many players turn the moment of scoring a goal into a message of love or loyalty. Raising a finger to the sky, for example, is one of the most repeated scenes on the field. Many stars have used it to express thanks to God or to dedicate the goal to a dear person, and in some cases to commemorate a person who has passed away. Therefore, this movement cannot be given a single fixed meaning, as its true meaning is linked to the story of the player himself. As for drawing a heart with the hands, it has become one of the most clear celebrations. It is widespread, and is often an expression of love for the family, life partner, or children, and sometimes for the fans, and in an era where every moment of the match reaches millions of people via social networking sites, this simple sign has turned into a personal message that can reach its owner anywhere. There are other celebrations of a more obvious family nature, such as thumb sucking, which is a movement associated with a number of players with dedicating the goal to a child or newborn. In this case, the goal turns from a sporting achievement into a small family celebration that takes place in front of tens of thousands in the stands and millions of viewers behind the screens. One of the signs that most arouses the curiosity of the fans is that in which the player uses his fingers to form a letter or symbol, and here the guesses begin about the player’s intent with those letters. Is it the first letter of his wife’s name? Or his child’s name? Or a message to a specific person? In many cases, it is actually a personal symbol associated with a person close to the player, but there is no general rule that can be applied to all players. The same sign may carry a completely different meaning from one player to another, and it may sometimes be a code known only to its owner and the one to whom it was given. Even the reference to the eyes, which some players use after scoring, can carry more than one meaning. It may mean “I see,” “Watch me,” or “I knew I was going to do it.” And like most celebrations, it is the context that gives the movement its true meaning. As for kissing the club logo or the national team shirt, it is one of the most common forms of expression of belonging in football, and many have been associated with it in their clubs and teams. These badges are also found in various sports, and in their simple form they are just a celebration or expression of love and loyalty to the shirt, but in some circumstances it may turn into a political or emotional message within the club, especially when it comes after a period of rumors or criticism related to the player’s future. There is also the military salute, which a number of players used on various occasions. It may be in honor of a family member, or a gift to someone serving in the army, or in memory of a dear person. Likewise, prostration after scoring goals is a common scene in international stadiums, especially with Muslim players. Prostration often expresses gratitude to God after an achievement. All of these signs reveal a different side of the athlete’s personality. Behind the shirt, the number, and the goal there is a whole life: family, friends, beliefs, memories, pressures, criticism, and sometimes sports and media rivalries, and therefore The goal celebration is no longer just a passing moment, but has become part of the show itself, and sometimes part of the story of the match, and the audience may remember the celebration years later, just as they remember the goal that preceded it.
In the case of Djamel Sjati, the index finger placed on his mouth was enough to ignite a discussion about the message he wanted to convey, and perhaps its true meaning is known to Sjati alone, but what is certain is that the best response to criticism in sports remains the achievement itself. The Algerian runner entered the race, and came out a champion, and between the start line and the finish line, there are no newspapers, no comments, and no debates. Rather, there is only a stopwatch, competitors, and a result that does not need much explanation. In sports, the most powerful statement may be the one that does not It is said, but seen as a sign with a thousand meanings.
