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"I prefer to be faithful to myself, than to live with a bad conscience": Perez de Vargas makes sure that fair-play rules at Croatia/Denmark/Norway 2025

21 Jan. 2025

"I prefer to be faithful to myself, than to live with a bad conscience": Perez de Vargas makes sure that fair-play rules at Croatia/Denmark/Norway 2025

40 minutes into the clash between Spain and Sweden, the final match of Group F in the preliminary round at the 2025 IHF Men’s World Championship, a penalty was awarded to Sweden, after Spain’s left back Dani Dujshebaev fouled Sweden’s right wing Sebastian Karlsson.

Sweden’s left wing Hampus Wanne stepped in to take the penalty and he faced a familiar foe, FC Barcelona teammate Gonzalo Perez de Vargas, who replaced Sergey Hernandez between Spain’s posts.

Wanne and Perez de Vargas have been featuring together for the Spanish powerhouse for the past three seasons, winning the EHF Champions League once, the league-Cup double twice, as well as the Spanish Supercup twice, also playing in the IHF Men’s Club Championship in 2023 and 2024.

The two knew each other well, with probably countless penalties taken by Wanne in training sessions facing Perez de Vargas. And sure enough, the Spanish goalkeeper knew Sweden’s left wing pretty well, proving it by saving the penalty.

It was 20:14 for Sweden and a goal would have made it a seven-goal lead for the Scandinavian side, which was running away with the win and the crucial two points to take into the main round.

But as Wanne missed the penalty, the ball hit Perez de Vargas’ head, richoceting from his arm. As Hungarian referee Adam Biro saw the ball hitting the head of Spain’s goalkeeper, he stopped the time and awarded a red card for Wanne, the penalty stipulated in the Rules of the Game for a direct shot to the head of the goalkeeper from a penalty.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

O postare distribuită de IHF (@ihfworldhandball)

Yet Perez de Vargas went directly to the referee and proved that fair-play is stronger than any personal ambition or the result of the match, pointing out that Wanne hit his arm first, then the head, prompting the referee to cancel the red card.

“In the end, it was like this. Because in a closer match, some of the fans probably would have yelled at me. But here, there are a lot of cameras, there is the Video Referee opportunity, the games are broadcasted. When there is a ball which hits the head of the goalkeeper, it is a ball which hits the head of the goalkeeper. But when it is not the case, I think you have to say it and not overreact. Also, taking into account that he is a teammate, he is a friend, I think this is what I had to do and did it,” said Perez de Vargas.

It proved to be the pivotal moment of the match, as Perez de Vargas denied Sweden the chance to go ahead by seven goals. And from that moment on, Spain clawed back into the match , cancelling the six-goal Sweden lead and taking a crucial point into the next phase of the competition, securing a 29:29 draw.

“I do not know what would have happened if Hampus got a red card. I really don't know how the score would have gone. But why I had to talk to the referee was because it was the feeling of lying, of being a bit of a liar. When a ball hits my face, I am the first one to complain. I don't know if it's the best or the worst rule, but here there are many cameras, people can see it in slow motion and when it is not, it is not,” added Perez de Vargas.

“I am very calm with the decision I made, even though maybe there could have been a red card for Hampus, maybe some of the goals he scored in the end, we're talking about winning the game, but
”

Perez de Vargas is also the Chairman of the IHF Athletes’ Commission, receiving 203 votes in the elections held at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with the participating athletes in the event being able to take part in the paper ballot voting during the preliminary round of the Men’s and Women’s Olympic Handball Tournaments. Spain’s goalkeeper also holds a seat in the IHF Council.

He proved once again why he was elected by his peers and why he is considered one of the faces of the sport, also being presented with a special Fair-Play award at the end of the match, reconising his contribution for the image of handball throughout the world. 

“Well, I prefer to be faithful to myself, than to live with a bad conscience,” concluded Perez de Vargas, who received plaudits from Wanne at the end of the match.

“In a match like this, he still chose to be honest. It is fantastic,” said Wanne, tipping his hat to his teammate-turned-opponent for Monday’s clash.