Calvin Vlaanderen, MSA flag and MXON

"You are Dutch again this week, so I guess you are just changing that every week depending on how you feel?

There is actually a big story about that. This week MSA, which is Motorsport South Africa, they complained to Youthstream because I have not asked them for permission to ride with the South African flag. I think it is ridiculous. I am really pissed off about it. That is why I just said, “You know what? Screw that. I am going with the Dutch flag from now on."

MSA have never helped me in my career, never once. Now I am really proud to represent South Africa and to put them on the top step of the podium and also on the podiums before that. When I hear that they complained, because I did not ask them for permission to ride with the flag, that is just ridiculous. I am really pissed off about it. I am obviously still a South African and I am proud to be South African, but I am also half Dutch and now I am also proud to be half Dutch.


Calvin Vlaanderen could end up on the Dutch Motocross of Nations squad (Honda Racing Corporation)
How does that work then? Why would you even have to ask permission? If you are South African, you get that. You do not have to ask anyone. They do not control the flag. It just sounds a bit fucked up.

It is a bit fucked up. Sorry for my language, but it is fucked up. I have a Dutch passport and I ride with a Dutch license and the Dutch Federation helped me with that. They paid for my world championship license. I chose to ride with the South African flag and, because I am riding with a Dutch license, I think they complained because I am not on a South African license or some shit like that. So, anyway, I am going to post something about it this week on social media, because I am quite pissed off and I hope all my South African fans will understand me and my decision to go with the Dutch flag.

Can you ride for Holland in the ‘Nations then? Are you enough Dutch to do that or how does that work? Are they going to let you ride for South Africa?

There is also a lot of talk with what is going on with the ‘Nations and things like that. It is cool. I am excited. We will see what happens. I cannot really say what I am going to do yet. Obviously not going to ride for South Africa. I probably could ride for Holland. We have a good team with Jeffrey [Herlings] and Glenn [Coldenhoff]. We could go for the win actually. We will see what happens. I think the Dutch Federation will let me ride if I want to.

I am just not happy with some Dutch fans. They do not really understand. They do not really accept me riding for Holland, because I am not truly Dutch. It hurts sometimes to see all the posts and some people talking shit about me, because I am not truly Dutch and riding with the Dutch flag. But we will see what happens. I think I just need to do what I want to do and that is it.