The Future CIRH President as an Imperative Way of Roller Hockey Development

 

We know, it's time of Olympic Games, but there's something strange for Roller Hockey Lovers, a dream that only in Barcelona 92 was possible to come true... Roller Hockey in Olympic Games. This was possible at that time due to the big efforts of one REAL Roller Hockey Lover, somebody that wasn't afraid to stand up and say, I love this Hockey, I want it as Olympic sport, so let's do it!!! Mr. Juan Antonio Samaranch will have forever a special place due to his courage and capabilities to turn our dream real. After 20 years our sport is different, with a lot of challenges to face. FIRS is now more concentrated to see another roller sports in Olympics. Something must be done as soon as possible or roller hockey will be forgotten forever as a great and wonderful sport.

Thus CIRH appears as one of answers to turn this challenges opportunities of growth. In a year of president elections it is important to know who is cheffing this important Confederation, and also who wants to take the leadership of the actual president, Mr. Harro Strucksberg. Mr. Harro is from Germany and at the same time is the president of German Roller Sports Federation. During his presidential mandate was confronted with a lot of problems for example: the boycott of some countries to World Games (the way to reach Olympic Games), the Catalan victory in B World Cup and consequent place in A World Cup together with Spain, the Mexican Scandal, concerning the participation of an inline hockey team in Acobendas 2010 Women's World Cup, the substitution of San Juan as host city in place of Maputo (Mozambique) and now the problem with Argentinian Federations. In other hand he tried to improve roller hockey in other places of the world, for example with the creation of an African Roller Hockey Federation chaired by Joaquim Coimbra or the organization of the Roller Hockey Club's World Cup in Angola and Reus, that due to lack of candidatures disappeared.

A new candidature to CIRH presidency was announced by one of the main Roller Sports Federations, concerning roller hockey, the Spanish one, country that is at this moment the most powerful. Mr. Carmelo Paiagua is candidate as a response to Spanish attempt concerning international representativity in Roller Hockey. At this moment it is president of Spanish Federation, and has achieved several positive aspects. Who takes a look in Spanish website and all Internet strategy of this federation, can understand that is one of the best in roller sports. It is the unique federation which has weekly videos of all goals in National Championship. Furthermore had created big events as "Copa del Rey" or "All Stars Game" that are growing year by year. In last year conquered a position on TV with weekly  OK LIGA live broadcasts. However faces a big problem, roller hockey is excessively concentrated in Catalonia and is being a big challenge to turn it as a "Spanish Sport". For example the disappearance of CP Tenerife from Spanish championships and the low number of non Catalan teams from OK Liga are examples of this negative aspect. About the ideas of Mr. Cardenal to CIRH there's any public plan released until now, but of course there's a big expectation around it.

 

At least there's another candidature, this one from a somebody from Portugal. As Mr. António Aguiar referred to Macao's newspapers, is possible that the Women's World Cup in Brazil could symbolize a new Era in Roller Sports, with the end of the sad command of Mr. Sabatino (actual FIRS president). According to news, the president of Macao Roller Sports Federation, told that "there's a lot of people unsatisfied with Mr. Harro work during the last 10 years. Roller Hockey lost a lot of players", he says.  Until now there's any other news about this candidature, but assuming that Mr. Aguiar could have a special place in this leadership, could represent "fresh air" in roller hockey world. Coming from a small region, where roller hockey has a lot of problems, Mr. Aguiar could have the advantage to take the necessary importance to the challenges in countries where roller hockey is a vestigial sports, or even doesn't exist. For example this candidature means that Asia will not be forget it in CIRH decisions. But of course from Macao the news are not so perfect. Who takes a look to the panorama of roller hockey in this region sees that as "the number of players in the World decreased during Mr. Harro Era", also the same happened with Mr. Aguiar command in Macao. Further Macao's Championship doesn't exist since 2006 and the same happens with clubs having young players.

As Rolling Together wrote each candidate has their positives and negatives aspects, but all of us have one thing in mind, the next president must love our sport and defend as nobody did before, and must be sure that we are leaving in the XXI World Wide Web!!!!

Roller Hockey needs an excellent President to reach the way of Olympic Games!!


PS: Rolling Together will try to interview all the Candidates to CIRH presidency and develop this important topic, so if you have some question to our candidates send it to rkh.xaral@gmail.com

Source of article:
Hoje Macau Newspaper
Spanish Roller Sports Federation Tweet