The ruling in favor of Helena Crnojević speaks volumes about the position of women in Croatian society, as in this particular case, Helena was removed from the list of international referees by the Croatian Handball Referees Association because she decided to start a family. Helena was in the advanced stages of pregnancy at the time, and was removed from the list without any prior notice and despite the clear opposition of the European and World Handball Federations.
The BaBe Association held a press conference at which Bojana Guberac, on behalf of the association; Ines Bojić, attorney and legal advisor to the association, and Helena Crnojević spoke, regarding the verdict rendered in her favor by the Rijeka County Court on January 26, 2021, which finally determined that handball referee Helena Crnojević was discriminated against on the basis of gender, pregnancy and maternity by being removed from the international list of the Croatian Handball Referees Association, and for the same she was awarded compensation for non-pecuniary damage in the amount of 30,000.00 kn.
Helena contacted the BaBe association regarding her case in June 2016, which filed a complaint on her behalf with the Gender Equality Ombudsman, whereupon the Ombudsman determined that the specific case involved direct discrimination on the grounds of pregnancy and maternity, which is prohibited by the Gender Equality Act, and accordingly sent a recommendation and warning to the Association of Croatian Handball Referees and the Croatian Handball Federation, which, despite the warning, did not eliminate the discrimination. In the court proceedings against the Croatian Handball Referees Association, Helena Crnojević was represented by attorney Ines Bojić.
“2014. u sedmom mjesecu trudnoće, nazvala me moja rukometne partnerica i vrlo uznemireno rekla da je na web stranici naše sudačke udruge vidjela da su nas izbrisali s međunarodne liste sudaca. Uslijedio je šok i nevjerica, nismo mogle vjerovati da su tako nešto učinili dok smo trudne i nismo znale zašto?”, Crnojević began about the discrimination she faced.
“Svjesno i namjerno sam potisnula neke osjećaje. Sjećam se da sam bila u velikom šoku, sjećam se da sam bila pod ogromnim stresom, da sam se tresla i da sam imala bolan grč u želudcu. Dobiti licencu da sudiš međunarodna natjecanja na svjetskoj razini je velika čast iza koje stoje godine i godine, treniranja, utakmica, putovanja, odricanja i discipline – i kad ti netko sve to jednom odlukom u jednom danu izbriše, to je kao da vam netko sruši sav svijet koji ste do tada poznavali i istodobno Vam zabije nož u trbuh. Sjećam se da me je bilo strah za svoju bebu koju sam nosila u trbuhu, i da nisam željela da joj ovaj stres koji sam tada prolazila u bilo kojoj mjeri naudi.”, Crnojević told and warned, “I to je ono na što su oni računali, na što su ciljali, znali su da se kao žene u najosjetljivijem periodu života, nećemo boriti za svoju poziciju u trenutku kada svu svoju energiju moramo usmjeriti na donošenje novog života na svijet”.
In late May 2015, after their applications to be reinstated on the international list were rejected, Crnojević and her partner in the court approached the Babe association, with the help of lawyer Ines Bojić and the Gender Equality Ombudsman. She warned the HRS and the HRS about the constitutional provisions, European regulations and Croatian laws regarding discrimination, and invited them to submit documentation denying such actions, and ultimately ordered Crnojević and her partner in the court to be reinstated on the international list of judges.
In 2017, after talking with a member of the UHRS board, Crnojević came to the conclusion that they were not aware of the consequences and meaning of their decision.
“Tada mi je sinulo, ako on to ne zna, koji je moja generacija, pa koliko ostalih još ne zna da se ženi za vrijeme trudnoće ne smije mijenjati njezina pozicija i da se ima pravo nakon rodiljinog dopusta vratiti na isti posao koji je obavljala prije trudnoće. Za mene je jedine logična odluka bila ići u sudsku tužbu i iako sam znala da meni osobno to neće pomoći, jer su sudski procesi su prespori da bi trenutno pomogli nečijoj karijeri, željela sam da ovaj slučaj, bez obzira na ishod, uđe u sudsku praksu.”, Crnojević explained her motivation.
After a three-year court process, she recounted her feelings in the following words and expressed hope that her case and verdict would make a positive change and protect pregnant women.
“Moram reći da mi se ponovno javljao isti osjećaj bolnog grča u želucu svaki put kad bih morala na ročište jer sam se prisjećala svih događaja koje smo prolazili 2014. i 2015. I nije uvijek bilo lako slušati razloge koje je suprotna strana iznosila da bi opravdala svoje pogrešne odluke.
As I mentioned before, this ruling means nothing to me personally and my career, but it should provide a foothold for all women who find themselves in a similar situation. I wanted to help all women who find themselves in a similar situation to be able to refer to this case and get some kind of legal foothold. So that they don't have to go through what I went through for four years, but with paper in hand I can say that this is not how it works.
Finally, I would just like to say to all women who want to continue playing sports, at the same level as before pregnancy, that they can now do so without fear that someone will take away their years of effort and work while they are pregnant or on maternity leave. They have the legal basis to continue in the same position they were in before pregnancy, and no one can dispute that right.
Nadam se da će se u budućnosti hrvatski savezi i udruge ponositi sa svojim ženama i majkama i isticati ih kao odlične promotorice na međunarodnoj sceni. Jer one to zaslužuju.”, concluded Crnojević.
We congratulate Helena on the brave battle she fought and the justice we achieved together!
