“Athletes' mental health must come first”

• Reporter Adrian Jitea and photojournalist Ionuț Iordache are in Rotterdam and convey all the information and images that matter
• Romania's next match is scheduled for December 3, at 19:00, against Hungary. It will be liveTEXT on GSP.ro and televised on Prima Sport 2 and Digi Sport 2.

Elena Şerban will never forget the day of December 1, 2025. She recorded her debut at a World Championship. He made 4 tackles, blocked a throw from 7 meters, but got injured at the end of the first half.

In an interview given today to Gazeta Sporturilur, in the training camp in Rotterdam, he assured that there was nothing serious: “I'm fine, thanks, it's nothing serious. I felt a kind of stabbing in my calf at the match. Fortunately, it's nothing. It was just a little load.”

VIDEO. Elena Şerban, from the training camp in Rotterdam: “It's an honor to be in the lot!”

Elena Șerban has not been in the entourage of the first representative in recent years. Florentin Pera, the previous selector, had other choices. Dunării Brăilă's goalkeeper says that he patiently waited for his turn.

“I was very happy. I was surprised too. Last season I wasn't called up, but I worked harder, I did my job. It was a motivation for me to overcome myself and be called up. When I received the news that I was in the batch, I was happy. It was an honor for me.

I have worked with most of the girls, I get along very well. We are a united, beautiful group. I can say that group unity matters a lot. I'm glad to be here with them.

With Julia (Dumanska) and Bianca (Current) very well, we are united, we talk a lot. I think it's important to have a very good communication, respect. I always got along very well with the goalkeepers. Respect is the most important!”, said Elena Şerban for GSP.ro.

Next is Hungary!

On Wednesday, from 19:00, Romania has an all-or-nothing match against Hungary. Şerban prefaced the game.

It will be a very tough game, I want us to improve our defense a little bit compared to yesterday's game. We have potential, I think we need more determination, more ambition. Nowadays, if you have a really good defense and goal, you can win any game. We have very good players, but maybe we need to be a little bit meaner and more aggressive in defense

– Elena Şerban

On filling the little free time she has at camp, Elena said: “I'm trying to relax, I'm doing a little extra watching in the camera, we need it. I'm playing on my phone a little bit, maybe a movie. I'm trying to stay focused on what we have to do.”

Elena Șerban: “The mental health of athletes must be put first”

In full revelations of the Gazette about the abuses of Gheorghe Tadici, Elena Șerban raises the alarm in Romanian handball.

“I think the young generation is a little different from how we were. You have to know very well how to communicate with them. The psychological part is very important, not necessarily with children but also with seniors. The mental part matters a lot, how you talk to them. First, athletes must be mentally well trained.

I do not agree, I was not taught such a thing. I don't want to blame anyone, but an athlete's mental health should come first. Many leave from there”, a transmitted by Elena Şerban.

Ranking when entering the main group:

Romania's schedule in the main group:

• December 3 » Hungary – Romania
• December 5 » Romania – Senegal
• December 7 » Switzerland – Romania

Results recorded in preliminary group A: