Written by Diana Pintus – Translated by Martina Ferlisi
A category often invisible, neglected, treated badly, in any kind of sport you are talking about.
Yet without referees not only there would be no game, but even sport would not exist.
And then, people imagine that they are rigid and boring people, but …
We asked Cristian Roja to tell about himself, and to tell his Paralympics experience, which, he assures, is rich and beautiful just like that of every athlete
It’s going to be fun!
1 – Getting into relationship
For some years, tells Cristian, a new approach is establishing in arbitrage of wheelchair basketball. “Before it was forbidden, for example, to call the coaches by name. They were called only coach. Now it becomes a routine.” A strategy that helps to get into a relationship with the coaches, and also with the players “when it is possible we call also them by their name.” In this way, a chain of respect is built between referees, coaches, teammates and opponents.
It is an approach studied and developed by a specific branch of sports psychology that also supports a sort of preventive arbitrage: “I think the real referee goal is to whistle as little as possible, pushing players and coaches to avoid unfair or incorrect play.““The respect, however – concludes Christian – is won on the field. Often a big mistake of a referee, who is considered good, is forgiven while the little oversight of a first-time referee does not pass unnoticed. The point is also that there are different kind of error. It ‘s clear that an irrelevant error at the beginning of the game caused fewer problems than a decisive one just before the final buzzer. “
To be continued….
Thanks to Cristian, Federica, Rosa and to coincidence.