Georgy Zhbanov's mum told about the creation of a mural dedicated to her son

Mother's Day in Russia is traditionally celebrated on the last Sunday of November. This year, the holiday falls on November 24. We reached out to the mother of Georgy Zhbanov to learn about the beautiful mural that appeared on the facade of one of the buildings in Yekaterinburg.

— Olga Vasilyevna, we learned that the mural was created with your involvement. Could you tell us how and when the idea to portray your son, Georgy, on the building where he grew up came to you?

— The building was constructed in 1982. It’s quite old. The residents voted to finally renovate the facade. When the renovation started, I thought, why not create an artwork to adorn our building? We live in a factory district — Elmash. Back in the day, I was involved in construction myself. I managed a major renovation at the A. E. Kandel school. Many kids in our building play basketball. Plus, our president is always promoting sports. So, I decided on the theme “Oh, sport, you are the world”.

— Does that mean you didn’t need to get approval from city services for this project? Was there no opposition?

— Not quite. It wasn’t just about depicting my son on the building. The mural came about like this: I shared sports photos I liked with the artist. My children have always been into sports. My elder daughters played volleyball with Uralochka. So, I thought, why not dedicate this to sports? The artist chose the final image, and I liked it because it resembled Gosha.

— The resemblance is striking. The mural covers the entire nine-story building. Could you tell us about the process of creating it?

— The artist worked on a platform lift. First, the wall was renovated, then the painting began. I funded the entire project myself.

— What was the reaction from neighbors and longtime residents when the mural was completed?

— The homeowners like it. Of course, there are some opponents who wrote complaints to various authorities. But since I used my own money and not any community funds, most people support it.

— Initiatives like this are so inspiring. The mural looks fantastic. And with sports being a hot topic today, it’s a perfect fit. Georgy is truly a role model for kids in Yekaterinburg. Let’s switch gears for a moment. Have you been able to watch all of Zenit’s matches this year? Do you follow Georgy’s games closely?

— Absolutely. I watch all the matches and attend many of them in person. When Zenit played in Yekaterinburg in October, of course, we were there. Our whole family — 14 people — attended.

— That’s amazing.

— All the kids, daughters with their husbands, and now our grown-up grandchildren with their partners — we’re always a big group at Gosha’s games.

— Georgy is often referred to as “The Wall” by fans. His image is seen everywhere. How do you feel about this nickname?

— It’s great. Let me share how his journey started. He began with dance lessons as a child. A private school had dance classes, and Gosha was noticed there. We were eventually invited to take lessons in the city, so we traveled to the city center four times a week. Before that, he practiced taekwondo and even earned an orange belt. Later, he took up basketball with a great coach, Alexander Grigorievich, who, sadly, is no longer with us. Gosha then trained in Polevskoy, 70 kilometers away, also four times a week. At first, he wasn’t given much playing time — coaches often have their favorites. But he kept trying and eventually made his mark.

— Now it’s clear why he’s called “The Wall.” He’s always been determined.

— Yes, but as a mom, I’ll admit there are still things I’m not entirely satisfied with.

— Well, what mum can be completely satisfied? She always wants her son to be the best. Zenit are playing great this season. Thanks to your son, among other things. What would you like to say to the team?

— God give the whole team, of course, more effort. And not to relax. I wish the team only victories.

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The Zenit basketball club joins countless others in wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day. After all, moms are the most important people in our lives!