Even at 75, he still arches his body in acrobatic motion from a height of three meters, slicing into the water with such finesse that not a single drop splashes.
Now living in the picturesque town of Dedemsvaart, I have become the companion of Yel Bashtbavi, the Dutch-Iranian diving legend. For over six decades, he has graced prestigious diving pools, winning a trove of medals for both Iran and the Netherlands. Though he left Iran shortly after the rise of the clerics, his home remains adorned with the customs and traditions of southern Iran.
He was crowned Iran’s national diving champion in 1965, and represented the country at the Asian Games in Bangkok (1970) and Tehran (1974). Eventually, in 1987, he settled in the Netherlands, where he continues to inspire with his lifelong passion for the sport.
The publication of this interview takes on special significance as Bashtbavi prepares to compete in the upcoming World Aquatics Masters Championships, taking place from July 26 to August 22 in the Vibrant city of Singapore. He will represent the Netherlands in diving, and is training with unwavering determination, aiming for nothing less than gold in every event in his age category.
Yal Bashtbavi member of the Netherlands masters diving team
Yal Bashtbavi, a genius in the sport of diving
Bashtbavi has experienced the world of diving on both sides of the ideological divide — in the free world and under a restrictive regime. In his view, Iranian divers before the 1978 revolution, which ushered in the rule of the Ayatollahs, pursued the sport in alignment with the modern, civilized world.
He observes that Dutch athletes train for diving with peace of mind, free from social or political pressure. In contrast, he says, Iranian athletes today face immense ideological and political constraints, particularly in disciplines like swimming and diving. Given this stark contrast, Bashtbavi believes any comparison between the current state of diving in Iran and that in the Netherlands is simply not possible, the differences are profound.
In one part of our conversation, he touched on the psychology of diving. He explained candidly that a diver must summon all their skill while in mid-air, executing precise movements before reaching the water. That final moment of entry, he noted, demands a unique kind of courage, knowing that a slight miscalculation could result in hitting the water with the stomach or back, risking real injury.
Bashtbavi believes that Iranian sportswomen have been subjected to systemic injustice—an issue, he says, that has been met with silence from officials within worlds swimming and diving organizations, as well as from the International Olympic Committee.
He speaks openly about the gender segregation entrenched in Iranian sports and expresses deep sorrow over the severe restrictions imposed on female swimmers and divers. Bashtbavi stresses that athletes in free societies must not ignore the realities faced by their Iranian counterparts, particularly the women who continue to be denied basic rights in the name of ideology.
