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

Why, while drunk, geolocation in your head is not where it should be?

In contribution to my very dear friend - The Queen!

Alcohol, to be more specific - ethanol, is one of the most common drugs used on the world. People are drinking alcohol from when they are around 15 and basically until they die. It is the cheapest thing on the market and legal to abuse. Sometimes, when you drink too much, you have problems locating yourself, you lost your compass, you do not know where you are or where you are going...

You are not sure where you are... 

I mean, this happens usually when you have memory loss, but you are still standing and having fun, not knowing about it. I have few examples from source, who do not want to be named, of that and I think the main thing about it is, that there should be a location where you have been earlier that day and it made a big impression on you.

...because you have drunk too much.

For that I have two stories from my source - you are somewhere, but you think you are at the other place far away. At first there were parties both times, good parties and if I use slovenian expression - you have to look too deep in your glass - so you have to be really drunk. And then usually your friends are looking for you and calling/texting you. First time it happened two years ago - they have worked that day at one event at some place called Gomila, where is a big sightseeing tower. After that, they went to party in neighbour village and they have a lot of fun. That person was really drunk and went home on his own. His friends were calling him, because he was not at proper route but walking on his own somewhere off road. When friends finally reach him on his phone, he was in his home village, but he still thought that he was at that Gomila, because it made big impression on him! Nowadays this is always funny story to discuss about.

Gomila sightseeing tower

The more interesting thing happened 2 weeks ago - they have been to bachelor party and in the night he thought he was at eastern part of Slovenia in town called Slovenska Bistrica, although he was really in the far west Slovenia on Italian border next to river Soča. But the party began in Slovenska Bistrica so the brains made the same impression as before. He was actually thinking that he was near home, so he text his brother to leave him house keys somewhere. 

Soča river

It is scientifically proven that alcohol inhibits the central nervous system, so when you drink too much it inhibits your orientation too. Luckily this is not happening to often. 

Sometimes you just lost your compass and just walking follow your nose, but do not worry - in 99,999% you will come home safe! 

10 doubts before first big trip on your own

As I mentioned in previous blog, I am going to Brazil and to USA and this will be my first big trip, where I organize everything by myself - from airplane tickets to accomodation, food, internal transfers and visiting tourist attractions. It is very different type of travelling than when you are travelling with agencies - there you have nothing to worry about because agency is taking care of everything and you just have to come to meeting point and enjoy the trip.

On the other hand - travelling around the world on your own especially for the first time brings some doubts and fear before start. So here I will talk about my doubts and I believe many of you have the same...
I have to tell, I will be travelling alone.

1. SAFETY -  If you are going to an unknown country, you for sure have some safety concerns. The main goal is to travel safe and healthy, then you can enjoy every other aspect of trip. I googled a lot of things, but until I will be there and see it for myself I cannot be sure. But I am positive, that everything will be perfect. BE POSITIVE!
2. LANGUAGE DIFFERENCIES - I come from Slavic country, so by all means we should be good in foreign languages and I believe we are, but mostly to Slavic country languages or English and German, but for sure not so much to those Latin languages like Italian, French, Spanish and Portuguese. They are to proud of their language, so they do not want to learn another language, but from my latest experience they are getting better and better especially young people, so if you do not speak the language of the country where you are going then TRY TO SPEAK ENGLISH TO YOUNG PEOPLE - there are great odds, that they will talk to you back. 
3. PROBLEMS ON AIRPORT - A lot of things can happen, but you have to trust airport employees... otherwise is better not to go anywhere! 
4. WHAT TO PACK - Pack everything basic what you need, you can buy something there, unless you are going to wilderness. You can use same things for more purposes. Everywhere they have washing machines and it is not expensive. DO NOT LET YOUR LUGGAGE TO BE ON YOUR WAY TO TOTALLY ENJOY THE TRIP.
5. ACTIVITIES - It looks nice in books and on internet, but will I enjoy it? YOU HAVE TO TRY, otherwise you do not know how is it. 
6. MONEY - Here I want to point out - Is it better to take cash or credit card? If you are not travelling to some 3rd world countries. I think the best is both - so SOME MONEY AND BACKUP ON CARD - sure there will be ATMs because with full wallet you attract to many people.
7. LOCAL PEOPLE - I suppose they are used to tourists, but will they be nice to me? I hope so, ife we catch each other on language, I am the winner.
8. COMMUNICATION WITH HOME - For the first time it is always nervous, because if you are in early twenties, parents still care for you very much. So you have to give them insurance you are okey and they can relax a little. I know, if I AM HAPPY, THEY ARE HAPPY! 
9. HOW TO AVOID BOREDOM - Meet now people, find new friends, read a book, write a blog, enjoy yourself, listen to music... DO NOT LET BOREDOM TO CATCH YOU at any moment.
10. WILL EVERYTHING BE AS I PLANNED - This is the last thing, you plan something but for some reason you cannot do it - that is why you are travelling on your own - to BE FLEXIBLE.

I know, this will be great experience, so I hope I will deny everything I wrote here, just know that, no one is relaxed before project like that.

If you have anything to add or any suggestion how to get rid some of these doubts, feel free to comment and share with us!

Enjoy,
Simon Ranfl