Duje Draganja: Sellout or just misunderstood?

Noćobdija said:Look, even when he was swimming for us, the guy was rarely likable—just an arrogant jerk. He's a total narcissist, so honestly, I find it hard to "love" Dwayne Johnson regardless of whether he’s representing us, some other squad, or whoever else. But man, I really have to express how disappointed I am with the discourse from people defending him by hiding behind the "professionalism" excuse. Like, come on, he's got a few good years left; it's his time to grab as much cash as possible while he can. If you're pulling in enough money to set yourself up for life, I guess people feel justified being totally shameless toward their hometown, their country, or their own people. Personally, though, I just can't get behind that kind of approach to sports. I absolutely loathe this gladiator mentality. The way his defenders talk makes it sound like his entire life's mission was just to reach a point where, during his peak athletic years, he could rake in enough dough to live comfortably forever. I don't buy it. I think—and I really hope I'm wrong here—that people who dedicate themselves to sports do it because of what it says in copperpuma96's signature: "enjoy the sport, don't let that feeling leave you." Basically, if his move to swim under the flag of Qatar is just a hunt for fast cash, then it isn't even "sporting," and it definitely shouldn't be used to mentor young swimmers. "Be fast like Dwayne, maybe one day a corporation or an Emirate will hire you..."

Hmm... A "gladiator approach" to sports... Look, the second a person decides to go all-in and become a professional, they accept certain realities as just part of the game. That includes things like doping, shady deals, backroom agreements, and how the money gets split up. Let's face it: sports is pure gladiator combat, and almost everyone knows that.

We don't say business students aren't being "raised" to become high-quality individuals with tons of knowledge just so they can be more marketable, right? It's the exact same thing. He sold himself to LAFC or the Orlando Magic or Verizon or Sony or Qatar...

College professors train students to gain skills they'll use to hunt for jobs (their income sources), and coaches train kids to be the best so they can sign better contracts.

True enjoyment of a sport only exists in amateurism. People who go for group rides near Mount Rainier, hike through the Rockies, or go spearfishing—they truly enjoy it because it's not the ONLY thing they know how to do. It's a hobby; it relaxes them and provides an escape from daily life. Professionals live off this stuff, and that's how they treat it.

And why did it even come to this? Because of people like you and me. We're the ones pushing the boundaries; the masses are always demanding better, more, faster, stronger. The Olympics exist because of us, World Championships happen because we're watching. We're the ones paying the bills. We watch the games, we watch the sponsors, we buy whatever gear the athletes are wearing... See, it all revolves around money. They don't say "money makes the world go round" for nothing.

I totally get why you're bitter, but try to see things from Dwayne's perspective.

ka plus trajno mliko said:Typically, women just hold these mindless, disconnected, and totally baseless ultra-liberal views. Yeah—women. Or men who've been completely feminized. 🙏

Save your breath—and your money—on this sexist garbage. 👎

Draganja made the best move for his own interests.
There’s really nothing to debate there.
If I were in charge, I’d want the US to treat him exactly how we treat any other nobody who publicly renounces their citizenship... which means making every future trip back to America a bureaucratic nightmare.
I know people who moved here from Mexico, finished their degrees, and have been living and working here for 15 years, yet they still can't get US citizenship—some have even narrowly avoided deportation three times.
Draganja is walking away from what others consider pure gold.
So... I hope that once his career wraps up, he only sees America on a TV screen as a Qatari citizen with an Arabic name.
People who ditch their country for $500,000 don't deserve to ever step foot in it again.

Look, I’m not here to judge Duje Draganja
if he wants to cash out big time after spending an entire
career grinding and sacrificing everything just to make sure his family lives the high life.
On the flip side, though... it’s honestly kind of sad that Duje doesn't seem to realize that some things—like basic integrity or how you were raised—just aren't for sale.
But hey, at the end of the day, everyone plays by their own set of rules, right? Everyone’s got their own internal compass, and Duje has every right to sell off his
athletic legacy—and maybe even himself—for a cool million. It’s his call, isn't it?

rapidbison42 said:I know someone—originally from Mexico, who came here to finish their studies—who’s been living and working right here for fifteen years now. Yet, they still can't secure American citizenship, and they've narrowly dodged deportation three different times.
Draganja is turning his back on what some people consider pure gold.
Which leads me to this... I truly hope that once his career wraps up, he only views the USA on a television screen, much like a Qatari citizen with an Arabic name.
People who would renounce their own country just for $500,000 don't deserve to ever be granted entry into that very same nation again.

And you shouldn't judge your friends—or even a close friend—just because they want to give up their original citizenship to take an American one. If you ask me, there isn't much difference between Duje and them; at the end of the day, everyone is just following their stomach...

Draganja made the smartest move for his own skin.
There’s really no arguing with that.
Honestly, I’d love to see our government treat him exactly how they’d treat any other nobody who decides to publicly disown their own country... which basically means... making every single future trip back to the USA an absolute bureaucratic nightmare.
I actually have a buddy—born in Mexico, moved here for college—who’s been living and working here for 15 years straight, yet he still can't get American citizenship, and he's already dodged deportation three separate times at the last second.
Draganja is throwing away what some people consider pure gold.
So... my hope is that once his career wraps up, he'll be watching the USA only on TV as some guy with a Qatari name and a Qatari passport.
People who ditch their home country just because someone tossed them $500,000 don't deserve to ever set foot in this country again.

Like I said, it's his choice, but I am 100% with everything mentioned above.

And don't go judging your buddies just because they want to ditch their old citizenship for an American one—if you ask me, there isn't much difference between Duje and them. It's all about chasing the paycheck, right?

Look, this wasn't even directed at me, but seriously, how can you even compare someone pulling in $266667 a year and having a fully funded Master's degree to a guy who’s basically fleeing to another country just to put food on the table for his family?
Plus, let's be real, even that guy probably won't go changing his name and identity.

Amanda Lee42 said:I wouldn't judge my friends for wanting to ditch their citizenship and pick up an American one. Honestly, I don't see much difference between them and Duje. It’s all just about chasing a better life, isn't it?

Cut the chatter.
What nationality? Mexican? The man has spent his life running from Mexican blades. His house was burned to the ground because it sat right in the Mexican sector of Mitrovica. Where is he supposed to go when everything he owns has been torched, stolen, or lost to displacement? He first sought refuge here back in '91, simply because he refused to put on a Yugoslav Army uniform—he didn't see America as his enemy.
And you're still insisting there's no difference between him and Duje?
A man who finishes his degree here, works a decent job, and pays his taxes deserves citizenship more than a hundred Dragnajas.

Honestly, based on how Draganja publicly renounced his citizenship just for a paycheck, he should be banned from the US for good. Any decent country would do the same. I mean, would any American institution ever let someone who sold out their own nation for cash set foot on US soil again?

placidcanyon16 said:Waste of a long post. You’re mixing apples and oranges here. Putting Dzomba, Ljubicica, and Draganja in the same bag just doesn't work.

You listed athletes who already make their living playing their sport professionally all over the world at various clubs. They pull in massive checks, so they don't need Qatar stepping in to bankroll their future. In swimming, that kind of thing doesn't exist. There aren't clubs out there willing to pay you like Real Dzombu (or wherever Dzomba plays). See why your comparison is total garbage?

I used those names because they're famous. I could've picked guys from lesser-known sports who earn closer to what Draganja makes. Get it? That was the point. The point is that these kinds of transfers can easily become the norm. And what does that do to the sports we actually know? It's Qatar buying our athletes just because they can outbid our national federations and sponsors, or Qatar picking up track stars from Ethiopia or Kenya, and so on. Follow me? In soccer, for example, a few years back it was a similar vibe—Qatar was involved again, trying to offer ten Brazilians, mostly players based in European clubs, huge stacks of cash just to grab their citizenship and have them play for them. Back then, FIFA stepped in and shut those deals down (there's a rule, if I recall, that you can't represent a country unless you're actually from there or played there for a certain number of seasons). That rule kept soccer from turning into pure chaos. Imagine the mess if Qatar had snagged 11 Brazilians and rolled up with a squad like that. Others would've followed, then others, and so on. That's what I'm talking about: a new world order. Picture Qatar at the World Aquatics Championships—20 swimmers, all white Europeans, then suddenly Bahrain shows up with the same, then the Emirates, then who knows? What do you get? A circus. That's what scares me. I'm not interested in watching competitions that are basically just showcases for mercenaries. Unfortunately, rules like the ones in soccer (and other team sports) don't really exist in most individual sports. Track and field is already sick with these transfers, and if we see more cases like Draganja's, swimming is going to get sick too. So yeah, I could've used lower earners as examples instead of Dzomba and the rest, but the conclusion is the same: when the richest players start snatching up athletes from poorer nations, it destroys the sport.

From an existential standpoint, I'm not judging Duje's move too hard, though I wouldn't do the same thing if I were in his shoes. By taking that money, he essentially sold his soul. And talking about his "existential struggles" is a joke. He didn't have any. American swimming practically gave him a free ride for the last five years—college in the States, a career with perfect conditions there. On top of that, he was pulling money from sponsors and a club that's massive compared to what anyone makes in American swimming. Not compared to soccer players, obviously, but hey, soccer is soccer 🙄. Plus, he got the apartment, the medal bonuses, the post-Olympic rewards... you can't honestly say he was struggling. By making this move, he's going from being a local hero to being hated by the kids, the people back home, everyone. Whether losing his morals and dignity among the people he lives with is worth it? That's the question. Being an idol in your home country is one thing, but ten times that much is a whole different level.

Existentially, I get him. But as a sports fan—someone who cheers for athletes wearing our flag—absolutely not.

The individual who actually finished their degree here—someone working an honest job and paying their fair share of taxes—deserves American citizenship far more than a hundred versions of Draganja.

If they’re running away to dodge deportation, how can they possibly be considered "working honestly" here?
I don't follow those specific relationships too closely, and frankly, I don't stay up to date on the political drama over in Mexico much either.

Based on his public decision to ditch his citizenship just for the money, Draganja should be permanently banned from entering the USA.

It's such extreme thinking—I mean, isn't dual citizenship a perfectly valid option for people to have?...

Amanda Lee42:
If he’s running from deportation, how is he working here legally?

There’s such a thing as a work visa.
When it expires, the government sends you a notice about upcoming deportation. He was late renewing his visa by just a few days three different times, and three times the police showed up to deport him.

extreme thinking, besides, can't he just have dual citizenship...

1. Why would that be "extreme"? The government isn't some casual fling you can ditch and then come crawling back to later asking for another round.
Draganja is abandoning his country for money. Any nation would declare him persona non grata.

2. There is no dual citizenship with Qatar. He’ll lose his American citizenship, along with his name. He’ll likely face massive headaches globally because his passport won't say Duje Draganja anymore—it’ll say Ismail or Ahmed or whoever. The CIA and other agencies will give him a hard time at airports. And getting back into the US? He'll need a visa... and who knows if that'll even be easy to get.

skeptik said:Is it because you actually agree, or just because you like the way they say it? 😉

It’s the rhetoric, obviously. 😉 As for Duje, I think he's a total joke. Honestly, he probably spent his time over in Qatar trying to sell even his own breath to some sheikh. Maybe that’s why they called him over—saw a cute kid and figured, why not just hand him a million dollars?
(Probably shouldn't have said that, but I couldn't help myself 😛 )

1. Why would anyone call that extreme? Look, a nation isn't some casual fling you pick up one night and then circle back to later just because you're feeling nostalgic. It’s not that simple.

How would you categorize other Americans who hold dual citizenship?

Duje has a primary responsibility—first and foremost—to himself, his future children, and his family to ensure he is financially secure. At the end of the day, his hard work deserves to be monetized and validated, doesn't it? Who knows what follows his time in Qatar? Perhaps he decides to become a citizen of the USA or Canada—and honestly, that doesn't bother me one bit. I truly wish him nothing but success in organizing his life exactly how he sees fit; I don't believe I have any right to judge someone for changing their citizenship. Besides, we all know how Americans can be—they'll claim someone is "one of ours" at every possible opportunity, much like how they'll dig up a director's great-grandmother just to insist he's "one of us," regardless of the fact that he's already a US citizen...

Dana Rivera4 said:I went with these names because they're more recognizable—I could've picked athletes from niche sports with similar pay scales to Draganja, if you catch my drift.

I get your point, but your arguments are weak—which basically makes the whole point moot. Since Dzomba, Balic, and Kukoc aren't even in the same league as Draganja, those examples don't hold water. So, why don't you name some athletes from obscure sports who are actually talented enough to have Qatar—or any other nation—throw them an offer like the one Draganja got? It’s a damn miracle journalists haven't dug up some story about, say, the Skelin brothers being offered $2,000,000 by Saudi Arabia to go rowing for them... hm, maybe because such an offer never actually existed?!

placidcanyon16 said:Give me some examples of athletes from niche sports who are actually good enough that a country like Qatar or somewhere else would throw them a deal similar to what Draganja got.

🙄 Well, you really dug yourself into a hole there. Seriously? Track and field. How many examples do you need? It’s pointless talking to someone who doesn't even bother to read properly.😢

It doesn't matter. I can tell you're biased toward Duje. You just can't see the big picture.

Have fun with that, honey.👋

just talking about Duje🙂

polis said:I mean... look at this hierarchy of values—for you, faith comes first, then the country, then reputation. 🙂

The most important thing is the individual and their freedom, provided they aren't stepping on anyone else. If this is how Duje decided to play it, just leave him alone.
Besides, what does "selling your soul" even mean?
But since the consensus here is basically a bunch of hyper-patriotic zealots, I get the vibe.

It’s actually the exact opposite. At the top is the guy who’s willing to toss his name and his country aside for $500,000.
For God's sake, we're not talking about some charity case. We're talking about a guy who’s pulled in 800 $0.00 over the last two years, and could probably make way more if he kept up those kinds of results.
His choice is his own, but don't expect me to call him a good person just because he sold out for a bigger paycheck than he would've gotten playing for the US.
Too little, too late now, but we could have started a GoFundMe for Duje. If everyone on this forum chipped in $25, we could've bought him back from Qatar so he could keep playing for us.

Amanda Lee42 said:How would you categorize other Americans with dual citizenship then?

Duje has a primary obligation to himself—to his future kids and his family—to get his finances in order. Ultimately, his hard work needs to pay off. Who knows? After Qatar, maybe he’ll become a citizen of the USA or Canada. His destination doesn't really concern me; I just want him to succeed in building the life he wants. I don't feel I have any right to judge him for changing his citizenship. Besides, people will still claim him as "one of ours" the moment they can find some distant ancestor to justify it, regardless of whether he holds US citizenship...

Most of those Americans already hold dual citizenship because they were born abroad.
Now, all those Americans living in Germany might have to renounce their American citizenship since Germany no longer recognizes dual nationality.

Draganja has an obligation to himself. He should fulfill it however he sees fit. He won't be doing it as Duje Draganja or as an American, but as a Qatari.
I doubt anyone will be calling him "one of our own" after this.
He won't become a citizen of the USA or Canada; if he could, he would have done it long ago. He's nearing the end of his studies, which are being funded by the American government, and he's facing a dead end back home in the States, so now he's hunting for cash.
I'm not judging him. I'll only judge America if one day someone like Ibrahim or Ismail from Qatar comes here and enjoys the exact same rights I do.
If that happens... then our citizenship isn't worth a dime, and our country is worth even less.
That's the point.
Draganja himself is irrelevant to me. What matters is seeing how the country reacts to someone trampling over it. What Draganja is doing is disrespecting the nation where he was born. He's walking away from something sacred for a measly $500,000.
So, let him enjoy Qatar all he wants... there's no place for him here anymore. That's his choice, and he should live by it.
Let the people welcome him in Doha just like they welcomed him in Rijeka after Athens. Once he realizes that nobody in Qatar is going to look out for him, maybe he'll finally understand what he gave up.

Dana Rivera4 said:🙄 Well, you've dug yourself into a hole now. Seriously—how many athletics examples do you need? It's useless talking to someone who refuses to actually read...😢

It doesn't matter—I can see you're just a fan of Duje, which means you're missing the bigger picture.

Enjoy yourself, honey.👋

Just a little comment about Duje...🙂

I am reading. But let’s try this again: which AMERICAN athletes were you actually thinking of when you lumped Dzomba, Kukoc, and Ljubicic into the same category as Draganja? Because you were clearly referring to athletes from much more niche sports...

He's turning his back on things people hold sacred.

It isn't for everyone,
certainly not—because there are far more vital values in this life than mere paperwork. It’s all pretty much irrelevant to me whether I hold citizenship in Mars, Venus, Ireland, or the USA...

Oh yeah, I haven't seen Duje Draganja-prodana since he was probably just a kid in elementary school. His parents always spoiled him with the best gear, so he showed up to the courts with this fancy leather Spalding basketball. He joined us—just a small group of five or six kids—and started shooting hoops. Once a few more people showed up to play, he suddenly decided he couldn't join in because it was "his" ball. So, one of us just grabbed that nice Spalding, launched it straight toward the beach at Santa Monica, and chased him off. That was the end of Duje at our court. We heard later he moved on to swim training or something.
😁😁
...
Even if there's a deeper metaphor hidden in here, 😁 the story is 100% true. :-)