'Shift of Power is Going East:' South African Skateboarder on BRICS & Conflict in Ukraine

"It was great to network with friends and potential business partners in the other BRICS countries, because I'm quite a believer in looking for opportunities beyond the Western bloc. And this BRICS is definitely becoming a major player, and I'd like to pursue those avenues because I believe that the shift of power is going east. I've explored all my avenues going west, so it's quite refreshing going east," he said.

"It's great to see a country, of course, that's government-funded in running skateboarding activations on the extensive Grand Skate Tour, and it's also, in a way, showing other countries what they should be doing," the skater added.

"That's just what we [skateboarding] can show the rest of the world. Unlike most sports, we're not competitive. We embrace each other's success. So I would think that in many ways what the BRICS bloc needs to address is what are the successes and strengths of each country, so that together we can be stronger," the skater said.

"I do think it's the West that's feeling threatened by Russia, and everyone's just trying to put out the fire that Russia is a booming powerhouse, and no one really wants to admit it. And they would just like to kind of punch them in the nose now. [...] I mean, why aren't they stopping Israel? I mean, right now, what's going on there looks much worse than what's going on in Ukraine," he said.

"Russians clearly are hardworking. I mean, of course, it was also a little sad to see Russian soldiers on their way to war. […] It was quite heartbreaking for many of us to see the reality and the casualties that's unfolding with war, which no one really likes. […] These are the realities and the casualties that the Russians are experiencing from a war that's funded by the West. So, I'm pretty sad to see all that because the Russians are good people," Oberholzer reckoned.

"I think there needs to be a wake-up call where we realize that there are only certain agendas that are being fulfilled. We have to try and break down and go to the people that are creating these agendas for the world. I don't think it's fair how these international organizations pick sides because at the end of the day it feels like they do. I think everyone must just calm down and try to find a peaceful solution," Oberholzer said.