Who is the Handball World Championship Mascot?

Ruksi is the mascot of the World Handball Championship 2009. Of all of those surveyed in Zagreb, only one knew the name of it.

ZAGREB, CROATIA - `Ruksi´ is the name of the caterpillar that is the mascot of the World Handball Championship that will be held from January 16 to February 1 in Croatia. However, that trademark mascot cannot be bought anywhere yet, only a few days before the championship begins. Only one of the surveyed residents of Zagreb knew the name of it.

The championship is at the door, and there are very few places where you can see posters or souvenirs. In the heart of Zagreb, at Ban Josip Jelacic Square, only the tourist association has Ruksi in their window, as well as the jersey of the handball representation. That is all. A statement that Ivano Balic is the mascot, by Igor who we surveyed, shows just how unknown the mascot is.

At the presentation of the mascot, leading up to the match between Croatia and Finland 79 days before the start of the championship, Sandi Sola, the president of the Croatian Handball Association said:

“The mascot additionally reminds people of the great sporting event.

Of the surveyed residents in Zagreb, nobody forgot who Zagi or Vucko were, so we hope that Ruksi, as the promoter of this competition, will live on with future generations, however the choice of the name itself is strange because it is not recognisable in Croatian. Ruksi in Croatian reminds some people of a backpack (ruksak), or Russia (Rusija), but nobody thinks of handball (rukomet) when they hear Ruksi.

“The sale of the mascot Ruksi is exclusively in the domain of the Croatian Handball Association, and will be on sale during the World Championship in the sports halls, and only after the championship will it be placed into free sale” said Zlatko Skrinjar, the spokesperson of the Croatian Handball Association.

According to our information, the Croatian retail chain Konzum has the exclusive right as a sponsor of the Croatian Handball Association for the distribution and sale of Ruksi in all of its stores.

Ruksi obviously became the mascot, because the caterpillar became recognizable after the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996, when the Croatian national handball team conquered the world and took gold, led by Velimir Kljajic. After every win, the handball team would form of caterpillar, and in that way celebrate the win and the gold medal.

Comparing Zagi (the mascot of the Universiade 1987) and Vucko (Winter Olympic Games 1984) with Ruksi are still not possible. The fact that Vucko and Zagi could be bought in months before the sporting events in normal sale, and that all young and old knew how the mascot looked like and was called, go to prove the huge difference.