Plus tri

Prema jednoj od definicija atletski sudija je neko ko presuđuje na atletskom takmičenju tako što tokom događaja vodi računa o regularnosti, otkriva prekršaje i odlučuje o eventualnim kaznama u skladu sa pravilima igre. Atletske sudije rade i u zatvorenom i napolju, u svim vremenskim uslovima, i naravno zbog posla često moraju da putuju.

Na poslednjem nacionalnom prvenstvu u atletici sam možda najbolje iskusio kompleksnost njihovog poziva. Svi smo doputovali u Novi Pazar na novo izgrađeni stadion. I sve bi bilo uobičajeno da nismo morali da se nosimo sa pandemijom korona virusa. Očigledno da ćemo morati da se naviknemo na situaciju i da sprovodimo mere, da bi sprečili širenje zaraze. Bilo je manje-više kako treba, mada je direktor atletskog saveza morao da upozorava na nošenje maski.

I onda sam ispod jedne maske prepoznao moju mentorku sa staža dr Milenu Acić Zarić koje je već dugo godina glavni atletski sudija. Dirljivo je da smo se po ko zna koji put videli na atletici, a u stvari smo se prvi put sreli u ordinaciji Doma zdravlja Stari grad 1989 kada sam bio na redovnom stažu nakon studija. Iako se toliko stvari ne sećam, znam da mi je Milena pokazala mnoge stvari u praksi, što je danas postala retkost, jer na mlade lekare retko ko obraća pažnju. Možda je i to bio razlog za dobara start u svet medicine i učenje. Da su me je tada pitala svakako ne bih znao da ću završiti četiri specijalizacije, pre bih odgovorio da ću raditi u nekom morskom gradiću, lečiti ljude, roniti i jedriti. Ali, za ovih četrdeset godina se toliko toga promenilo. Prosto neverovatno ja sam prelazio iz oblasti u oblast, a Milena je ostala sve ove godine i lečila ljude. A to je tek neverovatno, jer danas niko nije posvećen pacijentu, pa su lepe priče o Mileni od ljudi sa Starog grada pravi melem na ranu našeg sumornog zdravstva.

Iako nema uvida u Mileninu sudijsku karijeru siguran sam da podjednako uspešno radi. Tačnije bio sam svedok da nije bilo tenzija iako je bilo manjih nedoumica. Valjda tako jedino u sportu treba da bude. Neko mora bez strasti i navijanja da presudi, a ne kao skoro na US openu da podeli svetski javnost i diskvalifikuje prvog tenisera sveta. Ono što govorim za doping kontrolu važi i za suđenje. Dobro jer samo ono koje je nevidljivo, jer u sportu su najvažniji sportisti i rezultat, i ništa drugo.

Milena potiče iz atletske porodice. Roditelji su joj dugo radili u jugoslovenskoj i srpskoj atletici, a koliko znam mama je i dalje počasni predsednik atletskog kluba Crvena Zvezda koji je na takmičenju u Novo Pazaru osvojila najviše medalja. Listajući Internet stranice našao sam Milenin listu najboljih atletičara iz 1985. godine koju je pripremila te davne godine.

Jedino što me je iznenadilo je minimalno upražnjavanje fizičke aktivnosti. Kao dugogodišnji pobornik vežbanja nekako sam bio zatečen činjenicom da se Milena nije bavila atletikom, pa da čak ne vežba ni rekreativno. Zato možda sledeći put kada se sretnemo želim da počasno prošetamo pun krug na atletskoj stazi. Možda baš na fenomenalnom, novom stadionu u Novom Pazaru.

♥

According to one of the definitions, an athletic referee judges at an athletic competition by taking care of regularity during the event, detecting violations, and deciding on possible penalties following the rules of the game. Athletic referees work both indoors and outdoors, in all weather conditions, and of course, they often have to travel because of work.

At the last national championship in athletics, I experienced the complexity of their vocation. We all arrived in Novi Pazar at the newly built athletic stadium. And everything would be expected if we didn’t have to deal with the coronary virus pandemic. Obviously, we will have to get used to the situation and take measures to prevent the spread of the infection. It was more or less as it should be, although the athletics federation director had to warn about wearing masks.

And then, under a mask, I recognized my mentor from the medical internship, Dr. Milena Acic Zaric, who has been the chief athletic judge for many years. It is touching that we met at athletics so often, but we first met in her office of the Health Center Stari grad in 1989 when I was on a regular internship after my studies. Although I don’t remember so many things, I know that Milena showed me many things in practice, which has become a rarity today, because rarely today anyone pays attention to young doctors. Maybe that was the reason for a good start in the world of medicine and learning. If they had asked me then, I certainly would not have known that I would complete four specializations. I would have answered that I would work in a seaside town, treat people, scuba dive, and sail. But so much has changed in these forty years. Amazingly, I moved from area to area, and Milena stayed all these years and helped people. And that is just unbelievable because today, no one is dedicated to the patient, so the excellent stories about Milena from the Old Town people are a real comfort to the wound of our gloomy health.

Although there is no insight into Milena’s judicial career, I am sure that she works equally successfully. More precisely, I witnessed that there were no tensions, although there were minor doubts. I guess that’s the only way it should be in sports. Someone must judge without passion and cheering, and not, as almost at the US Open, divide the world public and disqualify the world’s No 1 tennis player. What I am saying about doping control also applies to officiate in sport. That only good activity is invisible because, in sports, the only important thing is athletes, and nothing else.

Milena comes from an athletic family. Her parents worked in Yugoslav and Serbian athletics for a long time. As far as I know, her mother is still the honorary president of the Red Star athletic club, which won the most medals at the competition in Novo Pazar. Browsing the Internet, I found Milena’s list of the best athletes from 1985, which she prepared many years ago.

The only thing that surprised me was the minimal exercise. As a life supporter of exercising, I was somehow surprised that Milena did not run or even exercise recreationally. So maybe next time we meet, I want us to walk an honorable full circle on the athletic track. Maybe at the phenomenal, new stadium in Novi Pazar.