A few weeks ago I read with interest an article in the German handball web site handball-world.com. http://www.handball-world.com/o.red.c/news.php?auswahl=24182&GID=1 In summary, people interviewed in the article argued for the idea that retiring top players could quickly become top referees on the basis of their practical sense for the game at the top level and their personal experience with the many complex situations on the court that are difficult for the referees to evaluate. So many judgments in a game are based on the knowledge of tactics and the ability to anticipate action, to see correctly what happens and to ‘feel’ what this means. Handball refereeing [u]is[/u] a demanding job.

My reactions to the comments in the article were of course generally positive. Who could be against the idea of improving the recruitment of candidates for the elite referee level!? It was also nice to see that several well-known players, coaches and federation representatives were so supportive. In order to convince former top players to become referees, this is the attitude that is needed. But I also had to smile a little bit at some of the comments.

For instance, one could get the impression that this is a brand new idea that nobody had thought of or tried before. Clearly this is not the case, as I am aware of such efforts both from a large number of traditional handball countries and also some new handball countries that do not have a cadre of experienced referees. In fact, I have myself been involved with such efforts both internationally and at the national level during the last 30-40 years (Sweden and USA). It was suggested that candidates could easily be found and that the main obstacle would be their reluctance to start at the bottom and move their way to the top very slowly. And I also suspect that it is easy to underestimate the difficulties involved in making the transition from a top player to a top referee.

First of all, despite encouragement from federations and coaches, it would not be realistic to think that suddenly large quantities of top players would become interested in refereeing. They are likely to continue to prefer other roles, including coaching, if they want to stay involved when retiring as players. So it could never become the main source for the elite referee category. But [u]even a small increase would be helpful[/u], so there is no reason to be negative. Then the argument about being treated as all other beginners, without any chance to start higher and/or move up faster is likely to be flawed. In my experience this is not what happens. Smart national federations realize that they have to be flexible and give credit for the experience and talent they want to draw on. So they are likely to make whatever exceptions that are warranted [u]in the individual case[/u], depending on the ability demonstrated.

Although it is now beyond my influence, I dare assume that also the IHF would set aside normal age limits and happily receive ‘special’ candidates outside the normal programs and progressions. I could even imagine that the IHF/PRC would give clear signals to encourage national federations to strengthen their efforts in this respect. Indeed, instead of just waiting passively for possible candidates to come forward, such efforts should be proactive, in the sense that players with the right attitude and personality should be sought out and approached. Also, I would not limit the search to national team players; 1st and 2nd division players in major handball countries would clearly be able to bring the relevant experience. In any case, it is doubtful that the absolute star players would be the first ones to volunteer, and personally I am not so sure that their standing as stars would be an advantage.

It was also correct and useful that some of the contributors emphasized that the ‘status’ of the refereeing job would be an inhibiting factor in attracting former top players. Indeed, the same applies to [u]all[/u] recruitment for the refereeing function. And here the national federations have a heavy responsibility. I do not think that financial compensation is the main issue, although it is certainly a factor. There are many other things that are important: better educational and mentoring capacity, combined with the availability of stronger match delegates, would make a big difference; but a general increase in the priority, support, and protection given to the referee function is also needed.

Millions of people around the world put in endless hours of hard work for the purpose of enabling athletes at all levels to enjoy the pleasures and benefits of sports. For most of them it is either their hobby as a coach, manager or referee, or it is a part of the ‘job’ of being a parent. The overwhelming majority do not get any tangible compensation for their efforts; for some perhaps it is mainly a sacrifice, but for most – one hopes – it is a pleasure with its own intrinsic rewards. A minority, however, have it as their job or their career in some other sense. They earn a living from it, and some earn more than that. For yet others it is not the money, or just the money, it is the power and prestige, an ego trip in the world of sports.

But the Olympic Games, like now in Vancouver, tend to offer a healthy reminder: sport is – and should be – primarily for the athletes; and in a secondary way for all those who find it stimulating to watch. As many before me have more eloquently expressed, sport is not just enjoyable to do and to see, it teaches lessons for life and about life. I have had the great privilege to be part of the Olympics on many occasions. It was exciting but it required hard work, almost around the clock; one gets immersed, almost to the point of losing perspective. So, in a strange way, it is somehow a bit special, like for me now during the last couple of weeks, to be able to watch, if only on TV, the Olympics without being involved and just take it all in. Enjoying the fantastic performances, the struggles, the victories and the narrow defeats; and of course hearing and thinking about the personal stories and efforts that lead up to these performances.

So I am going back to those who in an unselfish and idealistic way make the performances of the athletes and the organization of such wonderful events possible: [u]they[/u] surely do not need any reminders about what sport is all about. [u]But[/u], then there are those who, directly or indirectly, earn their money, their positions, their power, their comfortable lives ‘on the backs of’ the athletes, often without much concern for fair play and good sportsmanship. Do [u]they[/u] not need some kind of reminder about what is, and what is not, expected from them? Some are found in business and politics surrounding the sport. But many are of course directly involved in the management of sport in one way or the other.

You know that in the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, there is always [u]an athlete and a judge swearing oaths[/u] about ‘abiding by the rules,’ ‘impartiality,’ ‘true spirit of sportsmanship’ and ‘for the glory of sport.’ This seems entirely appropriate and may serve as a useful reminder. But what I think is [u]missing[/u] is that, in every Closing Ceremony the [u]IOC President, on behalf of the IOC and all sports federations around the world[/u], and by extension all those doing business with them, should be asked to [u]swear an oath that the same principles will be upheld, as these sports federations do their work for the athletes and sports[/u] until the next Olympic Games!

A few days ago, THN offered a translation of an internet article in the German magazine Der Spiegel. https://teamhandballnews.com/news.php?item.964 We also offered some brief clarifications of the concepts involved. The key numbers according to Der Spiegel were that the President’s remuneration had been changed from an honorarium of 30,000 Sw.Frs. to a salary of 500,000 per year, and that, in aggregate, the remaining 16 Council members had had their honorariums increased from 174,000 Sw.Frs. per year to 825,000. This suggests an average increase from around 10,000 per year to more than 50,000 per year. (Around that average, I suspect there is a wide range, from Executive Committee members through Commission Presidents to the second-tier continental representatives).

Not surprisingly, the revelations in Der Spiegel have caused people to react. I have received feedback essentially of two types: “this is really outrageous; how can it be allowed to happen!?” and “I am not sure how to react; is this out of line or not?” I can fully understand both reactions, but perhaps the latter one is more to the point: while it is easy to react spontaneously, it is more difficult to have a clear opinion unless one has a frame of reference. In other words: to sense whether something is ‘out of line’, one must ask: “[u]in relation to what[/u]”?

The way I see it, there are really at least [u]five[/u] separate questions one could ask: 1. do other international sports federations pay such compensation and of the same magnitude? 2. how does one justify a sudden, huge increase? 3. how do the compensation figures compare with other IHF expenditure? 4. do the positions and the incumbents in the case of the IHF deserve what they get? and then 5. the [u]fundamental[/u] question: is the [u]decision-making process[/u] for these payments and arrangements transparent and appropriate?

On the first question, some federations provide numbers for a few key employees and elected official, while the majority are not transparent and either keep their numbers secret (also internally) or make it very hard to obtain firm and reliable figures. But the main problem is the relevance of the comparisons. Differences in organization size, financial circumstances, and management structure make it impossible or inappropriate to compare directly. Suffice it to say that most federations provide some kind of honorariums or allowances, varying from enormous amounts for a very large number of people (FIFA) to quite modest amounts in some smaller and less wealthy federations. The IHF’s [u]pre[/u]-increase figures, having gradually moved up during Moustafa’s regime from 0 to the 10,000 average for Council members mentioned above, seem to be more in line with most numbers I have heard.

In a sense, this also answers my second question: the [u]new[/u] IHF figures do seem very high by most comparisons. And there is really nothing in the IHF’s situation that suggests a basis for a brand new compensation philosophy. There is no drastic expansion of activities and duties, no newly found wealth has been announced, and no achievements worthy of major rewards can be pointed to. It is doubtful that IHF member nations would find any arguments either.

The IHF budget has tended to be rather static in terms of size, main income sources and major lines of expenditure. There have been no entirely new forms of revenue. The budget document is dutifully presented on an annual basis, but there is no real debate within the IHF or with the member federations. While some budget items are not easy to define in practice, at least it is clear that the share spent on operations as compared with administration is not impressive. And the 1.325.000 Sw.Frs. amount now reportedly being paid out to the President and the Council members is roughly of the same magnitude as the [u]entire[/u] budget line for development aid!

It is a delicate matter to evaluate jobs and performance, but IHF insiders are well aware that some of those who now will receive average annual amounts in the order of 50,000 Sw.Frs. do [u]not[/u] have the competence or inclination to accomplish very much for the IHF. As I discussed some months ago, in a commentary on necessary By-Law changes and current IHF management practices, https://teamhandballnews.com/news.php?item.857 it is also clear that most continental representatives in the IHF focus almost exclusively on the narrow and selfish interests of [u]their own[/u] constituencies, and spend very little time as true managers of the [u]IHF[/u]. Moreover, the current regime simply does not allow the IHF Council and most of its individual members to play an important role and carry out demanding tasks, and the attention to matters involving strategies and objectives is any case lacking.

If the President is so autocratic, and the Council is largely impotent in the overall decision-making process, then this could in a sense be used as an argument for the President’s conversion from a volunteer elected official to the position of full-time employed chief executive. The arrangement is certainly not without precedent in the world of sports, and a suitable high-level executive will demand a commensurate compensation. The questions are, however, [u]whether the IHF is really best served[/u] by an arrangement where an autocratic president’s role is intensified, whether Moustafa is the best one for such a job, and whether it is money well spent from the IHF’s limited resources. We know the President’s own answers to these questions, but what does the rest of the handball world think, including the poor developing handball countries who depend on the IHF for support? As someone asked: “what are all the miracles that the President now will perform in return for his salary, that he was not able to perform in the past?”

Many would have looked differently at the whole issue and the specific factors just discussed, if the compensation decisions had gone through the careful scrutiny of the member federations in the form of a Congress, and the Congress had given its blessing, not just for the compensation increases but for the notion of a president as a highly-paid full-time employee. Yes, there are parliaments and politicians who are in a position to decide on their own remuneration (although they do it openly), but is that the example to follow for an international sports federation? In 2004, when I became President of the IHF Rules & Referees Commission for 2004-08, I innocently raised this question, when I was surprised to find that the Council was being asked to vote on what was at that time a small increase in a more modest amount. I can assure you that this intervention from a newcomer was ‘not popular’. But for me it remains a matter of concern, on grounds of principle.

Finally, to echo some comments I have received: there is another real danger involved in the new, high level of remuneration of the IHF Council members: if we already have a situation where the President wishes to be autocratic, as he feels he knows best and therefore simply wants the Council to go along with his decisions, what are then the likely implications of his insistence on paying the Council members such large amounts? The President demands loyalty, and for many it would not be easy to walk away from such money. So has it not suddenly become [u]much more difficult to expect true independence and a real debate[/u] where serious questions or objections are raised???

My recent comments about the refereeing at EURO 2010 suggested that one of the problems this time involved a distinct lack of a ‘common line’ among the referee couples, something that both the coaches and the referee supervisor clearly see as an important issue. Of course, the coaches in a sense always have a similar issue, when they want to ensure that all the players on their team are synchronized regarding the tactics to be used, both generally and in specific game situations. After all, players are likely to have a mind of their own…

So it may have some relevance to examine the experience with achieving a ‘common line’ also in a totally different field. People who know me well are aware that I am not just a ‘handball fanatic’. I have many other interests, and perhaps the main one involves classical music and opera; no, do not worry, not as performer, just as an enthusiastic listener. Therefore, it seemed like a very nice opportunity when some time ago I was able to have a chat with a well-known symphony conductor. He wants to be ‘anonymous,’ but I can reveal that he is from a handball country and he is sports-minded. Thus he was able to appreciate the significance of my questions, when I asked him about ensuring a ‘common line’ from the members of an orchestra that he is conducting.

As he noted, a ‘common line’ for an orchestra obviously does not just mean following the same music sheet but, in particular, it means following the conductor’s intentions and interpretations. And the [u]whole[/u] group has to ‘buy in’, has to be on board with the agreed approach. He wanted to mention five points, three of which are relevant to the preparations or rehearsals prior to a concert (or a game). One applies during the concert/game, and the last one is more related to the feed-back afterwards. I hope you will agree that, not surprisingly, they are very much the same kind of points that a coach or a referee supervisor need to keep in mind; nothing revolutionary, nothing that they may not know already, but still interesting.

The first point is to show that the conductor clearly knows what he/she wants to achieve. One must be prepared to listen and to accept ideas, but one cannot get respect without coming well-prepared and being able to demonstrate one’s knowledge. Being overly democratic and too ready to make compromises or to let the team decide does not work, if you want to emphasize a ‘common line’. The same goes for a group of referees.

Second, it is critical to focus on the big picture first. It is tempting to get caught up in detail after detail, but the approach to those details will not be clear, until and unless the overall goal or tactic is clear. It is especially important to avoid getting into a lot of negative feedback and criticism on minor details during a rehearsal or practice. (A referee supervisor may need to explain how he/she wants the referees to lead a game, before one gets into explaining the specific mistakes that they need to avoid).

The third pre-event point is to remember that, even as you focus on a team approach and a ‘common line’, you still need to treat the orchestra/team members as individuals. Some are more comfortable with the notion that the leader knows best, and are not so willing or capable of articulating any views of their own. Others need to have more of a dialogue, both for the purpose of understanding the message and in order to accept it fully.

During the concert/game, you need to realize that most of the opportunity for serious teaching is already over. Going too far in trying to change course or to rectify problems can easily backfire and make things worse. Certain things can be, and need to be, dealt with as the event goes on, but especially negative feedback, including body language, can often be demoralizing or confusing. (I am not so sure that all coaches will agree on this).

After the game, a team coach or a referee supervisor normally has the opportunity to offer feedback. The conductor noted, with some envy, that for him this tends to be the case only when he is conducting ‘his own’ orchestra, where he is based and where he has more ongoing and managerial responsibilities. When he is a ‘guest conductor’, there often is not an opportunity, except if one tries to do it in a rushed way directly after the event. But he warned against this; he had found that such immediate feedback, at a moment when the adrenaline is still there and when the orchestra members have not yet had time to do their own evaluation, is likely to be wasted. They are not receptive and are not likely to be able to make much use of the feedback.

I will not go back and comment (more than I did above) on how I think that each of these five points apply to a handball coach and to a referee supervisor; I will leave that to each of you, on the basis of your own experience, if you find it useful. Indeed, you may even disagree with some point. Personally, I do find it relevant and useful, and of course I can primarily comment on it from the perspective of a referee supervisor. I think there are some good analogies or comparisons, and I do believe it offers some helpful reminders. As Mozart used to say, “we are all in the same boat.”