Smashing, splashing passion

Eastern Europe is a hotbed for water polo fanatics, as Serbia prepare to take on Hungary in today’s final.

Serbia's Dusan Mandic takes a shot against Australia during the Fina Men's Water Polo World League Super at Hamdan Sports Complex. Francois Nel / Getty Images

If you like your sports mixed with a bit of blood and thunder, you can do worse than head down to the Hamdan Complex for some water polo action.

For the uninitiated, it is likely to be an eye-opener.

Water polo is a sport that requires absurd levels of stamina and fitness. At eight minutes per quarter, it calls for continuous treading of water – “eggbeater” style – high-intensity swimming, tactical awareness and passing accuracy.

All that before you even get to dealing with the physicality of the opposition.

Churning below the surface are the kicks, punches and scratches that the viewer rarely can see. Violence in water polo is expected to the point of being encouraged.

The most infamous match in water polo history was a semi-final that took place at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.

The match involved was between a team from the Soviet Union and a team from Hungary – the world’s best at the time – and came shortly after the Soviet Union had violently put down an anti-Communist uprising in Hungary.

The clash is remembered as the “Blood in the Water” match, for obvious reasons.

Such political undertones continue to be played out in the water polo pool among nations with complicated, intertwined histories.

The 2012 Olympic bronze-medal play-off saw four players from Serbia and one from Montenegro sent off in a tight, ill-tempered match. Serbia won 12-11 and the fierce rivalry between two countries that, between 1992 and 2006, had been one was established.

When on Tuesday the two met at the group stage of the Fina World Water Polo League Men’s Super Final in Dubai, it was a less contentious affair, probably because Serbia won comfortably 15-4.

Hungary ensured there would be no rematch in the final,defeating Montenegro 10-8 to set up today’s clash against Serbia, who defeated Australia 12-5 in the semis.

Water polo’s immense popularity in the Balkan states mirrors its worldwide appeal, which is spreading to this part of the world.

Initially dubbed “water rugby”, it is considered one of the most physically demanding of all sports and it is no surprise that nations with naturally imposing athletes tend to excel.

Easy access to water naturally helps, as does favourable weather. Swimming pools in the states that made up the former Yugoslavia are dotted around coastal towns and villages. In some of those areas, water polo rivals football and basketball in popularity.

These days, water polo continues to thrive in Croatia, Serbia and, especially, Montenegro, where the national team, the Red Sharks, are the pride of the nation.

This popularity in the Balkan states dates to the 1920s and peaked during the years the unified Yugoslavia took part in competitions, especially the Olympics, where they won three golds. At the same time, the sport also spread around Europe and in countries such as Brazil, the United States and Australia.

Once Yugoslavia disintegrated into smaller, independent states, the appeal of and participation in water polo endured.

The success of Serbia and Montenegro in Dubai is only the latest example of their excellence; expect both to be among the favourites at next month’s European Championships in Budapest.

Although, as all that history fades into the past and with the wider popularity of the sport, the passion of the rivalry between these two nations remains but has cooled.

“It’s a very special game for us because, obviously, we have the traditional rivalry between us,” Serbia coach Dejan Savic said. “We used to be a united country.”

However, star player Dusan Mandic insisted that “a few years before, I cared more about playing against [Montenegro], but now I don’t, there is no difference between them and anyone else”.

Perhaps it is a generational thing. Mandic was born in 1994, in Kotor, Montenegro, the ancient city where water polo is adored, and for a young man in a young nation the desire is to look forwards.

Just as well. Water polo at the highest level – as spectators at the Hamdan Complex will be able to see – needs no added spice to produce pure sporting passion, preferably without the blood, in the water.

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