Sani Zhekova described her early elimination from “Traitors: Game of Traitors” as a difficult ordeal. The former snowboarder was the first contestant eliminated by the other players after suspicions turned towards her at the round table. Zhekova took part in the game as a Faithful.
In an interview with bTV, she admitted that the vote had surprised her. Several hours before the round table, she had withdrawn because she needed to rest. In her words, her absence from the discussions may have influenced the outcome, as she had relied too heavily on the belief that the people she trusted also trusted her. “Trust has enormous value, and in fact it is also what can ultimately kill you, as happened to me,” Zhekova said.
The tears and tension at the round table
In a conversation with Blitz, Zhekova explained that before the vote, sleep deprivation, isolation and constant tension had built up. She had tried to organize the facts and defend her position, but the sadness and disappointment had been intense.
“I would not be ashamed of my tears,” the snowboarder said. In her view, a strong reaction at a critical moment cannot describe a person in their entirety. She admitted that if she could turn back time, she would speak more briefly, formulate her need for understanding more clearly and examine her own assumptions more carefully.
“I wanted to keep playing”
Zhekova said she had wanted to remain on the show and had not managed to fully develop her ideas. If she took part again, she would ask more questions, share her observations more clearly and work towards a smaller but stable coalition.
She does not hold any hard feelings towards the other players. In her words, everyone had acted according to their own strategy and the information available to them. Zhekova added that she would sit at the same table with the contestants again outside the game, as conversations could then be more relaxed.
The former competitor distinguishes between sport and the social game. On the Olympic track, she had years of training and a clear course of action, while in “Traitors” decisions were made based on uncertain information and a lack of control. That is why she considers the round table a more difficult ordeal than an Olympic competition.
Zhekova has not ruled out taking part in another reality format. In her words, a show in nature, involving movement, specific tasks and the opportunity for contestants to build trust through joint efforts, would be more suitable. “Traitors: Game of Traitors” airs on bTV on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.
Sources: btvnovinite.bg, show.blitz.bg, bgdnes.bg