Last January, we witnessed a truly remarkable display of sportsmanship during the Handball World Championship match between Spain and Sweden. It was the 40th minute, and Spain was trailing by six goals, making the situation look desperate for Jordi Ribera’s team. A penalty was awarded to the Scandinavian team, which, if converted, would have increased the deficit to seven goals. Hampus Wanne stepped up to take the shot, and the ball hit Pérez de Vargas, initially appearing to strike the goalkeeper’s face directly.
However, the referee immediately stopped the game and showed Wanne a red card. Pérez de Vargas quickly intervened, explaining to the referee that the ball had not hit his face directly but had first made contact with his forearm. According to the rules, a penalty that hits the face warrants a direct red card and expulsion. This incident was widely praised, and it’s easy to see why.
A similar situation occurred recently during a training session of the Spanish team Promesas (2008/2009) at the CAR de Sierra Nevada. A goalkeeper, who belongs to Barça, like Pérez de Vargas, suffered what seemed to be an impact from the ball on his face, although this happened during a play, not a penalty. The referee, who was officiating the match, decided to give a two-minute exclusion to the player who had thrown the ball, but the goalkeeper promptly corrected the referee, explaining that the ball had not hit his face directly. As a result, the exclusion was reversed.
Respect for the Referee
These incidents bring to mind recent comments made by Barcelona football coach Hansi Flick. Before a match against Rayo, he spoke about the need for respect towards referees, citing handball as an example of a sport that gets it right. “We should only learn from sports such as handball as to the treatment of the referee refers,” he said. Flick emphasized that handball is a sport from which football can learn a lot, particularly when it comes to the relationship between players and referees. “I really like handball, and we should learn a lot from that sport. The referee whips a foul, ball to the ground, and defend. You cannot waste time and spend energy with protests,” he added.
The corrections made by Pérez de Vargas and the young goalkeeper from the Spanish team have nothing to do with protests but rather demonstrate respect for the opponent and the referee. This is something that football has often struggled with, but it’s a value that is deeply ingrained in handball, where the players are not applauded for their behavior. As Flick pointed out, football can learn a lot from handball when it comes to treating referees with respect and not wasting time on protests.
A Lesson in Sportsmanship
In the heat of the moment, it’s not always easy to keep a cool head and show respect for the referee, but that’s exactly what these handball players did. Their actions serve as a reminder that, even in the most intense and competitive situations, sportsmanship and respect for the rules and the referee are essential. As Hansi Flick said, football can learn a lot from handball, and it’s time for players and coaches to take note and start making a change. By doing so, they can help create a more positive and respectful atmosphere in the sport, one that values fair play and good sportsmanship above all else.