Robertlandy Simon’s pink beard: the bet behind it and a promise to Milan

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Robertlandy Simon’s pink beard has disappeared, but the story behind one of the most unusual looks in international volleyball could soon have a sequel.
In the photographs released by Allianz Milano for the club’s official presentation on October 13, the Cuban middle blocker has returned to a short, dark beard.
The pink experiment is over for now, although Simon has already offered fans a reason to hope for its return: if he wins a trophy with his new team, he is willing to dye it again!

The story began with a bet that celebrated one of the most significant achievements of his career: at 39, the 2.08-metre middle blocker finally secured a place at the Olympic Games with Cuba, earning qualification for Los Angeles 2028 after years of frustration. The pink beard was the unexpected result of a promise made when that dream still seemed far from certain.
In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Simon explained that a member of Cuba’s national-team conditioning staff was convinced the team would qualify. Simon was far less optimistic. “We had too many problems, the federation wasn’t helping us, and it seemed impossible,” he admitted. The two decided to make a bet: if Cuba secured its Olympic place, the coach would dye his hair and Simon would turn his beard white.
Cuba eventually delivered, but the colour proved more difficult than expected. “I had to make it pink because white didn’t take,” Simon explained. The result quickly became a talking point, adding a memorable personal touch to a qualification that carried enormous emotional weight for the Cuban veteran.

The pink beard has since been shaved away, but the promise remains.
Asked what colour he would choose if he won a trophy with Milano, Simon did not hesitate: “For a trophy with Milano, I would gladly dye it again. I would try white again. That way everyone will be happy.”

It is a playful challenge, but the ambition behind it is serious. Simon has joined Milano looking for a new sporting challenge and believes the team has the quality to compete for silverware. His arrival also brings a wealth of experience to a group that includes Bulgarian international Georgi Tatarov, another of the club’s new additions for the 2026/27 season.
Yet the trophy at the end of the season would be only one part of Simon’s motivation.
His Olympic dream has taken years of sacrifice, difficult decisions and repeated disappointment. He left Cuba in 2011 at a high point in his career, later returned to the national team and tried several times to reach the Games. On more than one occasion, qualification slipped away after Cuba had taken a two-set lead, leaving him wondering whether the opportunity would ever come again.

“I came to think that I would never make it,” he admitted. Even so, he continued working, determined to give himself one more chance. Now that the goal is within reach, the next challenge is to arrive in Los Angeles in the right physical condition. Simon will be 41 at the 2028 Olympics and has already adjusted his training, reducing the workload in the gym and looking for a better balance between preparation and recovery.

Age brings more fatigue and more aches, but Simon is not ready to stop.
Asked whether he ever thinks about retirement, he described the question that keeps him playing: “When I have some pain, I think: ‘Why am I still playing?’ But then I ask myself: ‘What will I do if I stop?’ I don’t know, so I keep playing.”

For now, his focus is on Milano and the chance to add another achievement to an already remarkable career. If the team manages to lift a trophy, the celebration may come with a familiar splash of colour. Simon has made his promise: white will get another chance. This time, he will have a new reason to make sure it works.