Če je šport izgovor, tudi prav. Gremo v svet!

Košarkarji evropski prvaki, odbojkarji evropski podprvaki, rokometaši 4. v Evropi, Primož Roglič 1. na svetovni kolesarski lestvici, Tim Gajser svetovni prvak v motokrosu... Še bi lahko našteval... To so aktualni podatki na dan 26.1.2020. Vse to iz 2-milijonskega naroda, vse to iz nabora komajda 7mestnega števila moških v lepi naši domovini. Ženskih uspehov tokrat ne bom našteval.

Slovenski kotiček v Tele2 Areni. Foto: Slavko Kolar

Uspehi nam zelo pogosto lepšajo dneve in tedne, malo smo se že razvadili. Čeprav mi osebno nimamo nič s tem, nas vseeno razveseljujejo. Vsa čast športnikom, ki vsak dan garajo za te uspehe, s katerimi se potem vsi hvalimo.

Ti zmage in porazi so vedno dobra tema pogovora, iz tega se razvije debata. Seveda obstajajo tudi kavč selektorji, ki so se večinoma od športa preizkusili samo v  desetprstnem tipkanje na tipkovnico. Po športnih debatah ljudje grejo od pogovora dobre volje in ne jezni, zamračeni, zmedeni v primeru ko debate pade na politiko. 

"Panem et circences" (Kruha in iger) so dejali že Rimljani, vedeli so kako v ljudeh vzbuditi zadovoljstvo.

Vsakemu navijaču tekma njegove ekipe dvigne adrenalin že doma, če navijaš na prizorišču pa si tako ali tako čisto v tekmi, ogret (sicer na drug način) tako kot igralci, dihaš z ekipo, si čisto v tekmi, skoraj tako kot da bi bil na igrišču. V dobrem in v slabem.

Ob tej svetovno znani zastavi z napisom Trebnje sedaj dela zastava z napisom Moškanjci že kar konkurenco.

Res je bil sem na EP 2016 v rokometu na Poljskem kot prostovoljec, prav tako na olimpijskih igrah v Riu kot prostovoljec - to je bilo organizirano in dalj časa trajajoče. Tako navijaško pa sem v zadnjih 4 mesecih komaj zdaj uvidel kako dober izgovor je to, da greš nekam na izlet v tujino, spoznavaš nove ljudi, se družiš s podobno mislečimi. Nastajajo  nova prijateljstva, nova poznanstva, nove poslovne priložnosti, srečuješ ljudi različnih profilov iz cele Slovenije, nikoli ne veš koga boš kdaj rabil. Več nas je, bolj smo glasni!

Navijači v Stockholmu z reprezentanco. Foto: Slavko Kolar

Navijamo za Rogliča in Pogačarja v Madridu

Še sam si dober teden nazaj nisem mislil, da bom danes sedel v Stockholmu, pel skupaj z ABBO "Dancing queen" karaoke in pisal blog, pa ga. Brez dobrih iger rokometašev zagotovo ne bi videl teh severnih Benetk, mesta ob vodi, te idilične severne arhitekture in spoznaval prijazne ljudi. V sredo je padla odločitev, v soboto zjutraj sem sedel na letalu, brez dolgotrajnih priprav na potovanje. Pri tej mizerni ceni letalskih kart si prav premalo privoščimo takšne izlete. Na drug konec Evrope, v Azijo ali severno Afriko lahko prideš za isti denar (oz. ceneje), kot te stane prevoz v Dalmacijo in domov za dopust. Samo dovolj iznajdljiv moraš biti. 

Tako ko razmislim, sem skoraj prepričan, da bo spomladi čas za nov podoben projekt. 

Čisto preprosto je, samo odločiti se moraš in iti. Če maš še nek izgovor, je to še lažje.

No v iskanju letalskih kart za nov izlet ne bom več dolgovezil.

Simon

Handball is still a beautiful game!

Latest events on EHF EURO 2018 in Croatia just made me thinking about leaving this beautiful sport as active participant. I have been playing handball for 10 years, then I had elbow surgery and now I am a referee for more than 6 years. The handball was put into my cradle. It is our family sport. As proud Slovenian and a person, who just loves handball, I follow every match of Slovenia national team. 

At first I have to apologize to my fellow referees about my reaction after match, it was in the affect. There in Arena Zagreb was few thousands Slovenian fans and I was one of them. In moments like the last minute of the match you lose your clear mind. Referees are also humans and fall under an impression of a crazy last 30 seconds, but still they are trained and chosen to be the best in moments like this. Both of them were the only ones in Arena to see the video of last few seconds. IHF and EHF changed the rules for last 30 seconds two years ago just for situations like this one between Slovenia and Germany. They also included  videotechnology for this event in Croatia to follow the rules in critical situations. We are trained to make a decision in few seconds, it cannot take you whole 7 minutes to take a decision. And it is a big "coincidence" it rules in favor of a handball giant. I can say there were some critical situations in last 30 seconds, but they video reviewed only the last one. Photo of Veselin Vujović stepping in the goal to defend the 7m throw will be one of the most controversal in hanball history. What can you do, if you do not have influence and money? Imagine, if the situation was reverse. I am 100% sure, they would not see the video. 

"What can you do, if you do not have influence and money?" Veselin Vujović about to defend the 7m throw. 

It is what it is. In handball decision of a referees is the last one. I could not get over this situation so I reviewed it for 15 times and went through rules to make clear the situation. I could not sleep, I hope that it will make an lection for all referees in future. They made a mistake according to the rules. If you just see the video, there should be few different decisions in last 15 seconds and it would not come to this situation. 

Rules about throw in last 30s. 

It is over. I got an lection of handball rules, Germany got a point, Slovenia big disappointment. After 14 losses and 1 draw Slovenia was a reasonable decision away from first win against Germany. It does not feel right to finish a game in a way like that. It is not bad that they outplayed European Champions and got a point, but the way it happened is wrong. Handball is sport about players and fans, not about referees. I hope we will reach reasonable decision and step together to make this beautiful sport more clear to all. 

The biggest problem for me, handball referee, is to come to a match this weekend and all next weekends, to referee some 10-14 years old boys, who all watched the match, and be respected in their eyes. How can they trust referees, if in front of million viewers the best of the best referees made such a farce? Will they trust my decisions?

C'mon people of handball, step together for this beautiful game. 

SR

#5 Living my dreams - let it last forever

Now it is day 9 of Olympic games and I can tell you, I live my dreams. Amazing venues, crazy atmosphere, top athletes of the world, wonderful city - it is like wonderland for me.

With my flag enjoying olympic park

Venues - arenas and stadiums are amazing,  atmosphere at all of them is great, Brazilians really like sports and they know how to support all partcipants. The organization although is not so good, especially ticketing and transport to the venues is a problem, as one of athletes in olympic village said, they are never on time, when they supposed to be. When you are on spectator buses, you can expect to be like sardines in a tin, too many people. Security is also just like on airport, so all procedure to come to the venue and spectator area or your work, it takes at least 30 mins.

But once you are in, you forget about all the problems before - then opens for me totally different world - spectators from all over the world, if you are in national uniform - they want to take picture with you, if you are in volunteer uniform, they will ask you a lot of questions, but all people are really kind and atmosphere is amazing. Special olympic sport is also exchange of pins, some people have like a hundred of them, so on my next olympics I will be prepared and bring a lot of Slovenian ones.

Here are some venues:

Olympic tennis stadium

Water polo arena

Olympic park panorama - from left to right Cariocas arenas triplets 1,2,3; Future arena, Olympic aquatics stadium

Olympic stadium - athletics 

Handball - Future arena

My workspace - Badminton arena - RioCentro Pavillion 4

At olympics is also a great time to see some new sports live, so I try to visit as many venues as possible, for me everywhere is a lot of spectators, more than I expected. But the best atmosphere and most amazing venue of this olympic games is for sure BeachVolley arena on famous Copacabana beach - I was lucky to be there on a rival game between home Brazil team and neighbour Argentinian team, crazy atmosphere, full arena, amazing athletes and view from dreams. 

BeachVolley Arena at Copacabana beach

But from the spectator position I can say that with Brazilian fans only Slovenian fans especially organized on handball matches, leaded by my friends from Trebnje. At match of Slovenia versus Brazil, at some moments we have been louder than full Future Arena of brazilian fans. We are not a lot of people here, but we support our team from all heart!

The best fans on the world - supporting team Slovenia (source: www.delo.si)

Also volunteer experience is amazing, making new friends from all over the world. Volunteers are from 18 years old to more than 70, all races, all nationalities. And all of them are amazing people, for most of foreigners there is sometimes a problem, that some of Brazilian ones, does not speak English. Luckily we got tags: I speak English, so by accreditation you know, who is easier to speak with him or her. But I will leave more from making friends and meeting people from all over the world for the next story. It is so amazing that especially us international volunteers already started thinking about next project - Tokyo2020. 

Until next time from Olympic Rio,

Simon Ranfl