David Becker reports on life as a deaf referee. The 34-Year-old whistle in spite of its limitation, Futsal games at Champions League level.

Penzberg/G eretsried – As a referee, it is often the subject of criticism. Many a Referee would probably want to not have to hear the complaints of him peppered around the ears. The only referee of the environment, the could be the is actually, is David Becker. The 34-Year-old, the whistles for the ESV Penzberg, born nearly deaf, has hearing with no technical assistance, only 20 per cent. In spite of the Handicap of Gerets leads Rieder to soccer games in the district League. That he is virtually deaf, bothers him. His daily life copes with the electronics in spite of the restriction.

When you are talking with Becker, you realize that only a small, almost invisible hearing aid provides from behind his ear, that he understands something. "You have to slowly and clearly speak to me," he explains. Then there are no problems. If Becker responds, he has to concentrate more than his. Some hiss is falling hard for him, but understands him well. "My wife and my family have normal hearing," he says. As a result, he was able to learn how to run normal conversations. One of his two brothers is also hard of hearing.

football: "I was able to follow the lecturers never 100 percent, if I get no interpreter"

In his native Hesse visited Becker as a child made a school for the deaf, where on a specially for the hard of hearing established technical secondary school diploma and completed an apprenticeship. By the sign language interpreter, there were no difficulties. As Becker wanted to study, was his deafness for the first time to the Problem. After only one Semester he had to drop out of College of information and electrical engineering. "I was able to follow the lecturers never 100 percent, if I didn't get an interpreter," says Becker. Too fast and indistinct spoken to uneasy it was in the room. "Then I'm coming with you."

During his youth, kicked Becker in the football club. Better said: in two football clubs. "I played in a team for the deaf and in a normal Team," he recalls. The round leather was a constant companion. As Becker some years ago for a Job as a technician in the Buchheim Museum on lake Starnberg got and to Geretsried moved, he finished his active career. The football, the for Becker fixed, he wanted to remain faithful. And when he heard that there is a referee training in sign language of the Bavarian football Association, he knew the role in which he would do. 22 candidates attended the course, only a part thereof is now in active referee business. Becker is one of them and since soon four years of football games for the referee group, because home; around 50 in the year. In the meantime, he is allowed to whistle even in the circle of the League.

football: Becker whistle already football-Champions-League

Futsal Becker has launched games in the Regionalliga, he says, smiling. Also when he talks about a use in Vigevano, you can see that the 34-Year-old in his Pride. In the Northern Italian town of Becker was divided at the end of January as a referee for the Futsal Champions League of the deaf. 18 games, he led the five-day tournament, in the final of the men he stood on the side line. "This has made a lot of fun," says Becker. The fly in the ointment: "In the final rounds, we have deaf people are not allowed to whistle." In addition to nine hard-of-hearing Referees from all over Europe also to some Italian colleagues, without limitation, goods in the process. "Who did not want to work with us. A pity, but the most important was that it was fun and I got a lot of bets.“

He sees the experience a positive one. He does, actually, always. Even when Becker speaks about his life as a hard-of-hearing, by sounds is always a resilient optimism. "I can sleep all night, because I have no noise. After Waking up, when I go with my dog for a Walk, let the hearing aid and can relax super. And if me, a monotonous noise is annoying, I shall take the equipment.“ He smiles, even if you look at the cheerful man, the concentration for such long monologues necessary. It acts as if the impairment, it is not too much in everyday life.

football: lip-reading and body language to help the referee in charge of the ESV Penzberg when pipes

Also on the football field, there are almost no problems with his hearing. "I'll be right with everything," he says. He told before the kick-off nothing of his deafness. "Some players don't even notice it during the game," he says. Unclear situations, disputes and criticism – the ugly side of the referee-existence-just – mastered by David Becker scores. "I listen to the most Important," he says. Even if he is unsure, help him to read lips and body language assess the Situation of his opponent, to better. Becker has a good feeling. He has trained over the years. Despite all the fun, the Becker has his Hobby, restricts him his hearing sometimes. "I had to jump over higher hurdles," he says.

For example, in the case of the referee meetings each month. Because the speaker is uneasy, the 34-Year-old for this purpose, an interpreter, he must, however, previously considered social assistance to apply for. "This is often exhausting," he says, and with the quarrels in the office connected. These stumbling blocks loose a deal-breaker for some belonging to the reason. "There are only ten, maybe 15 referee in Germany." In Europe it is around 50. Some of the deaf postgraduate students have problems in their referee groups, because not all of the leaders to trust a pigeon to guide a football game. These problems Becker only of stories knows, however: "I was immediately taken up, was able to start right away, as I reported." Even the jump in the County League he has managed. "Since I was already proud of me." He has a hard time, this sentence to pronounce. It was a long conversation, Becker is highly concentrated. It is one of the few moments where you can feel the 34 Years of his deafness.

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