‘We could wave the flag and be proud’: GB athletes rediscover patriotism at World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan as Putin watches on

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As the UK faces fierce debate over immigration, borders and national identity, Sam Pollard and James Driver travelled more than 3,000 miles to compete under the Union flag - and found a warm welcome in an international sporting community.

The 23-year-olds were among 47 athletes in the Great Britain delegation at the World Nomad Games, a celebration of traditional sports and nomadic culture.

First held in 2014, the Games returned to Kyrgyzstan this year - the mountainous Central Asian nation of around seven million people where the event began.

Organisers said more than 3,000 athletes from more than 100 countries took part in the Games.

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World leaders gathered for the opening ceremony in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Meanwhile, Great Britain’s team brought together competitors from London, Bournemouth, Sheffield, Birmingham and across the UK.

Events at the games ranged from tug-of-war and arm wrestling to horseback archery and bone-breaking - the traditional ethnic strength sport where competitors use their bare hands to snap animal vertebrae.

Pollard, a consultant based in London, said the group reflected a Britain that is often overlooked in arguments about national identity.

“Our delegation had a high level of diversity,” Pollard told LBC.

“The variety of culture and what it brings to Britain, from foods to festivals, and the way it's integrated into society: that's what makes me proud to be British."

The team included athletes with white, black and brown heritage, a father-and-daughter archery pairing, competitors across different weight categories and a comparatively strong female contingent in sports that have traditionally been male-dominated.

‘It gives you more context’

Driver, a mechanical engineer in London, said cultural exchange should be seen as an opportunity, rather than a threat - with Britain now more likely than any other country to name immigration its top national concern.

“It gives you more context to the world around you,” he said.

“Getting to experience different cultures for yourself can really change how you think about things like immigration and cultural integration.

"And fundamentally, a lack of exposure can really influence the box you tick on polling day."

The Great Britain tug-of-war team beat Brazil and South Korea in the eight-person competition, while a four-person side defeated Uzbekistan.

The athletes met and competed with teams from countries far beyond Britain’s usual sporting orbit, saying the event cut through the political tensions dominating international headlines.

“Despite the conflict happening in the world - wars going on in the Middle East, Russia, Ukraine – all the countries were there competing against each other in these fantastic sports and not really applying those walls between different nations,” Driver said.

“It just felt like a totally human experience."

Pollard said the main disagreement he heard between competitors was about the tug-of-war arena.

“You had Russia saying, ‘We want this much depth in the sandpit’, Iran saying, ‘No, we want more depth,’” he said.

“That was the only arguing I really heard.”

After competing, the British athletes spent time with rivals from Brazil and South Korea.

“We’d both travelled thousands of miles to compete against each other and then drink beer and soju. “It was such a joy to form those small friendships,” Pollard added.

They also renewed a friendship with Pakistan’s team from the previous Games, swapping flags, pins and shirts.

“They were like, ‘You guys are back here - so good to see you,’” Pollard said. “They were trading their Pakistan flag for our British flag.”

Flying the flag

Driver said representing Great Britain abroad made patriotism feel more positive than it can amid domestic debates around flags, belonging and immigration.

A YouGov poll from last year found 39% of Britons believe the St George’s Cross has become a symbol of racism, amid a rise in flags displayed in public spaces.

“If you’re waving the English flag or the British flag, a lot of the connotations associated with that these days can be pretty negative,” Driver said.

“But abroad, people don’t see the Union Jack and immediately jump to the same conclusions.

“We could be there waving the flag and wearing the colours and be truly proud of what we represent as a delegation and as a country.”

Before competing, around 25 members of the team were invited to the Foreign Office in London by the British Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, Vicente Solera Deuchar, in what was the first opportunity for many of the athletes to meet in person.

The ambassador later met the team in Kyrgyzstan, attended events and cheered them on during their tug-of-war victory over Brazil.

“He was incredibly supportive every step of the way and was genuinely pleased for us when we won,” Driver said.

Not “snowflakes” - but self-starters

The team’s path to the Games began after Pollard came across an online application while researching Central Asia after university and applied with friends who had some experience in the sport at university.

They were told they could represent Great Britain if they built a full squad.

“We didn’t ask too many questions before we submitted our application,” he said.

“We weren’t worrying too much about what could go wrong, just getting out there and getting stuck in.”

The athletes paid for flights and private medical certificates, took annual leave and balanced their training with work and study.

Driver said the “snowflake generation” label - a pejorative term suggesting young people are less resilient or work-shy - ignores the pressures and limited opportunities many face.

More than one million 16 to 24-year-olds were not in education, employment or training (NEETs) between January and March 2026 - a staggering 13.5% of their age group, and 89,000 more than a year earlier.

“There is a serious issue with unemployment, and there is a real lack of work going around for young people from all backgrounds, even if you went to university,” he said.

“So it’s quite nice to break down some opinions that exist about our generation by going out there and just doing it.

“We could lose every bout that we have. We could hang our heads in shame. But we made ourselves really proud.”

For the pair, the message from Kyrgyzstan is clear: pride in Britain and confidence in a younger generation do not require closing the door on the world or retreating into stereotypes.

Driver put it simply: “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.”