The IHF Men’s Youth World Championship in Russia is not only an opportunity for young players to gain experience at an international tournament but also for referees too.

As part of our ‘4-4-4’ series, IHF.info asks four referee couples from four continents, four questions.

Julian Lopez Grillo and Sebastian Lenci are from Argentina and have been whistling together for nearly 10 years.

Julian is a Commercial Manager for a technology company whilst Sebastian is a lawyer and representative of workers in the Argentina National Ministry of Health.

IHF.info: When did you first meet and can you remember your first game together?

Julian Lopez Grillo (JG): Well, we used to play for the same club in different age categories, because he is older than me (laughs).

The club was Club Comunicaciones in Buenos Aires but I cannot remember if we met training or playing.

Sebastian Lenci (SL): When we met I was 17 years old and he was maybe 14. I used to play pivot and he was a centre back, we were both right-handers.

JG: When I got to 17 years old I started a referee course for fun as I love handball and love playing and wanted to do something more, but later on I broke my arm and needed a operation.

After that I couldn’t play so I decided to be more professional as a referee and that is when we started at our regional and national career and that is when everything started.

SL: I started refereeing at 18, at the club I had been playing since I was a child.  I started by myself, whistling little kids. I had another partner in the past, but in 2005 I started whistling with Julian.

Our first match together was in the Argentina First Division, Argentinos Juniors v Quilmes - it was in March 2005 - the month when our season starts in Argentina.

JG: That first match together was OK, but it was only after a few matches - I really remember the conversation clearly - that we really started talking about the way we were whistling matches and what we have to modify in our game to compliment the other one.  It was a very important conversation - we changed a lot of things and our behaviour after that.

In previous couples we had different roles but maybe we were the leaders of those couples and in international handball it is impossible to be two leaders, you have to be sometimes one and sometimes the other one has to be one.

It was good to referee the players we used to play with, and against. It could have been difficult but it was good as we had a good relationship with everyone.

IHF.info: Can you remember when you got your IHF refereeing badge and can you remember your first IHF nomination?

SL: We received our IHF badges in September 2005.

JG: We had the feeling during the tournament where we were being assessed (the Pan American Women’s U19 Championship in Brazil) that we would receive our badges as we had been given some good feedback, but we were so nervous.

When they started reading the names of who had gained them, we were first because of our country name - Argentina - but when they said our names it was a new feeling for me. It was something I had never felt before - I cannot explain it with words, but it was total happiness.

SL: Our first World Championship was the women’s youth one in July 2008 in Slovakia, but previously we had whistled in St. Gallen and Granollers.

Our first match in Slovakia was Tunisia vs Slovakia - the opening match with the hosts (Slovakia won 32:23) and we had the final too where Russia beat Serbia.

JG: We were very nervous, it was maybe the first time anyone had presented us on court and it was such a good feeling and to be part of the players’ show.

As referees we are just a small part, but we enjoy it in our own way.

It was a strange game for us as something happened where the IHF Official called us over to show the Tunisian coach (Yassine Arfa) a red card. Sebastien went over to the table and showed the red card and we were like; ‘it has to be in our first match!?’

After the match we gave each other a big hug as we always do, talked about the match and then that situation.

IHF.info: Tell us about handball and refereeing in Argentina.

JG: We have three international couples including us and we have a lot of support from the Argentina and Pan American handball federations in our careers.

SL: We try and support our new generation of referees, like when we received support from ex- international refs and the federations, when they supported us with plane tickets, clothes etc.

Now we have an IHF career we of course feel we have a responsibility and the numbers of referees are increasing in Argentina because the numbers of clubs are increasing.

Just in Buenos Aires we have seven different male categories with 14 teams in each, plus there are the women’s, youth and other leagues.

JG: Handball is more focussed in Buenos Aires, but some provinces like Cordoba, Mendoza and those in the south of the country are developing and with our national tournaments they are across the country.

SL: We work with the Argentina federation to improve the work of the referees; we go to tournaments and speak with the young referees and explain the IHF way of working.

IHF.info: What are your views on the rule experiments at Russia 2015?

SL: The rules changes are really good. Of course, the blue card is not a real law change exactly but it’s better as you can inform everyone clearly. The injured players rule has been really good and has been working perfectly here.

JG: We have to adapt handball to the actual moments, to the fast players and to help our sport be more spectacular.