Drugi jezik na kojem je dostupan ovaj članak: Bosnian
If you happened to watch European matches of basketball club KK Cedevita and handball club RK PPD Zagreb recently, you might have noticed a loud group of fans on the stands with a banner “Naprijed naši! Jedni uz druge i u Riju 2016.” (“Go ours! Side by side in Rio 2016”). They are the Croatian Paralympic athletes who have decided to show by example what they immensely wish for themselves, but what they lack – the support of fans.
It’s part of a larger campaign that was recently launched by the Croatian Paralympic Committee (HPO), whose slogan is There’s no difference among real athletes – only difference are the fans. In order to raise awareness about the start of the Paralympic Games, Croatian Paralympic athletes have decided to fill the domestic stadium stands, and from fellow athletes, but also from the public and the media, in turn they seek equal support when they perform at the Paralympic Games in Rio in September.
“Matches of Croatian sports clubs are generally poorly attended. The same can be said for the viewership of the Paralympic Games in Croatia, although it’s a top level sports competition. This is the essence of the problem of Paralympic sport globally,”said Ratko Kovačić, president of the Croatian Paralympic Committee.
“As an athlete, when you have support from the stands, it gives you the strength to compete and achieve better results. That’s why I’m proud that I was able to support our boys from KK Cedevita and RK PPD Zagreb on their European matches. I would be genuinely happy if the same support of Croatian sports fans be addressed to us, Paralympic athletes at the Paralympic Games in Rio in September,” said Branimir Budetić, two times Paralympic medalist and world record holder in the javelin.
“Many thanks to the Paralympians for cheering us. We will certainly stand by them!” promised Luka Žorić, Cedevita player. Zlatko Horvat from RK Zagreb also thanked Paralympians and promised to support them at the Games in Rio.
The campaign can be seen on television, in print media, outdoor ads, internet portals and social media. It was devised and organized by long-time partners of Croatian Paralympic athletes, VETTURELI Consulting and agency Bruketa&Žinić OM.
Bellow you can watch two videos from the campaign: