Marian Cozma
Encyclopedia
Marian Cozma was a Romanian
handball
player. He was born in Tei, Bucharest
and died in Veszprém
, Hungary
after being attacked and stabbed in a nightclub fight. During his career he played for HC Dinamo Bucureşti and KC Veszprém
and he was also a member of the Romanian national handball team
.
He played in the Dinamo first squad from 2002 to 2006 and won the Romanian championship with the club in the 2004-2005 season.
During his time at Dinamo, Cozma was once attacked and stabbed near his house by a group of fanatic supporters of a rival team. "They asked me if I'm Cozma from Dinamo and then one of them stabbed me in the back", he said. He got a 8 centimeters long and 3 centimeters deep wound near the spine, but he recovered and was back on the playing field shortly afterwards.
In 2006, he was transferred to MKB Veszprém. With his new team he participated in the EHF Champions League
in the 2006-2007 season, scoring 17 goals in the tournament. In 2008, they won the Hungarian championship
and also the EHF Cup Winners' Cup defeating Rhein-Neckar Löwen
in the final.
At the time of his death, Cozma was allegedly in talks with several major handball clubs in Spain, including FC Barcelona. A few days before his death, he resigned from further participation in the Romanian national team after not getting enough opportunity to play on the 2009 World Men's Handball Championship
from the federal captain, and it was mentioned that he might apply for Hungarian citizenship and play for Hungary in the future.
On 10 February 2009 his body has been first taken from the mortuary to the Veszprém sports hall, from where it was subsequently transferred to Szeged
, the home town of KC Veszprém's greatest rivals, where the Hungarian authorities held a goodbye ceremony. Then a few hours later the convoy entered Romania and went through Nădlac
, Arad
, Deva
, Sibiu
, Braşov
and Ploieşti
to the applause of tens of thousands of people all the way along, before arriving to Bucharest after an 18-hour long journey. The body was placed within club Dinamo’s trophy room, where supporters were able to pay their respects, from where on 13 February 2009 it was transferred to the church of the Teiul Doamnei parish for the funeral service. Approximately a thousand people attended the service including his former teammates from Veszprém and the youth and sports minister as well as the state secretary for sports of Romania. Cozma was finally laid to rest in the Pipera
cemetery.
The Romanian Handball Federation
Board decided that the Olympic National Center of Excellence in Sighişoara
will change name to Marian Cozma. The Handball Federations of Romania and Hungary have agreed to organize an annual commemoration match between the national teams of the two countries in the memory of him, both in Veszprém and Bucharest. His #8 jersey was retired by his club KC Veszprém as well as the shirt #82 worn by him in the national team of Romania.
He was posthumously appointed honorary citizen of Veszprém, and he is also set to be awarded the title of honorary citizen of Bucharest.
He was awarded the title of emeritus master of sports by the Romanian authorities.
The Nicolae Pârâu street where he lived in Bucharest will wear his name.
The City Hall of Bucharest Sector 2
decided to give the "Distinction of honor" to Marian Cozma post-mortem.
It was decided that the sports hall of the school, number 30 "Grigore Ghica Voivode" of Lăptari Tei no. 23 in Sector 2, where he and his father enrolled, will bear the name of Marian Cozma.
Peluza sud of Dinamo stadium will wear the name of Marian Cozma.
KC Veszprém played its first match after Cozma's death on 15 February, against Ademar León in the EHF Champions League. Fans paid their tribute to Cozma with a silent march through the city before the game. The Veszprém players entered the court for team presentations in white t-shirts, with Cozma's picture on the front and his #8 on the back. Several of the fans were dressed in black, and held farewell message transparents. Veszprém went on to pull out an emotional 28-26 victory in the game.
On 24 May, KC Veszprém won the Hungarian championship
after defeating SC Pick Szeged
in the third game of the championship finals. Team members, wearing their white t-shirts with Cozma's picture, were led up to the medal ceremony by Petre Cozma, who was also issued a gold medal by the Hungarian handball association, which he then hanged on to a giant photo of his son.
The handball match between "U" Transilvania and HC Odorheiu Secuiesc in February 2009 was dedicated to his memory.
A movie about the murder, Szíven szúrt ország ("A Country Stabbed in the Heart") premiered on May 7, 2009 in Veszprém.
The friendly football match from 12 August 2009 between Hungary
and Romania
was dedicated to his memory. Journalists nationals of Hungary and Romania, along with other guests from both countries have also organized a friendly match before the senior teams, a match against violence and in memory of Marian Cozma.
On 6 February 2010 a statue of Cozma was unveiled at the Veszprém Aréna
in Veszprém
, from money donated by the Hungarian public.
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
player. He was born in Tei, Bucharest
Tei, Bucharest
Tei is a neighborhood in Bucharest, Romania - Sector 2. The name comes from the name of the lake in this area: Lacul Tei . The name of the lake comes from the linden woods that existed around him in the past...
and died in Veszprém
Veszprém
Veszprém is one of the oldest urban areas in Hungary, and a city with county rights. It lies approximately north of the Lake Balaton. It is the administrative center of the county of the same name.-Location:...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
after being attacked and stabbed in a nightclub fight. During his career he played for HC Dinamo Bucureşti and KC Veszprém
KC Veszprém
Kézilabda Club Veszprém is a Hungarian handball club from Veszprém, that plays in the Nemzeti Bajnokság I and the EHF Champions League. One of the most successful teams in the country, Veszprém have won the Hungarian Championship a record 19 times and took the Hungarian Cup title an unprecedented...
and he was also a member of the Romanian national handball team
Romania national handball team
The Romania national handball team is the national handball team of Romania. Controlled by the Romanian Handball Federation it represents Romania in international matches....
.
Career
Cozma began his handball career in HC Dinamo Bucureşti. His father, Petre was also a handball player, and he guided his son to the sport.He played in the Dinamo first squad from 2002 to 2006 and won the Romanian championship with the club in the 2004-2005 season.
During his time at Dinamo, Cozma was once attacked and stabbed near his house by a group of fanatic supporters of a rival team. "They asked me if I'm Cozma from Dinamo and then one of them stabbed me in the back", he said. He got a 8 centimeters long and 3 centimeters deep wound near the spine, but he recovered and was back on the playing field shortly afterwards.
In 2006, he was transferred to MKB Veszprém. With his new team he participated in the EHF Champions League
EHF Champions League
The EHF Champions League is the most important professional club handball competition in Europe . The competition was started in the 1956–57 season, and is administered by the European Handball Federation.The most successful teams are from Germany and Spain...
in the 2006-2007 season, scoring 17 goals in the tournament. In 2008, they won the Hungarian championship
Hungarian Championship of Men's Handball
The Nemzeti Bajnokság I is the premier men's professional handball league in Hungary, administered by the Hungarian Handball Federation. Since 2006 the official name of the championship is Budapest Bank Férfi Kézilabda Liga due to sponsorship reasons....
and also the EHF Cup Winners' Cup defeating Rhein-Neckar Löwen
Rhein-Neckar Löwen
Rhein-Neckar Löwen is a handball club from Mannheim, Germany. The club was founded in 2002 as a merger of TSG Kronau and TSG Baden Östringen, competing initially under the name SG Kronau/Östringen...
in the final.
At the time of his death, Cozma was allegedly in talks with several major handball clubs in Spain, including FC Barcelona. A few days before his death, he resigned from further participation in the Romanian national team after not getting enough opportunity to play on the 2009 World Men's Handball Championship
2009 World Men's Handball Championship
The 2009 World Men's Handball Championship took place in Croatia from 16 January–1 February, in the cities of Split, Zadar, Osijek, Varaždin, Poreč, Zagreb and Pula. Croatia was selected from a group of four potential hosts which included the Czech Republic, Greece and Romania.The opening game and...
from the federal captain, and it was mentioned that he might apply for Hungarian citizenship and play for Hungary in the future.
Death
Cozma died on 8 February 2009 after a stabbing attack that happened in a bar in Veszprém, Hungary. The members of KC Veszprém were celebrating the birth of the son of a player and the birthday of another, when they got into an altercation with a gang of 25-30 Romani people. Cozma was stabbed to death, while two other teammates suffered critical injuries. As of 18 February, five people have been arrested in connection with the events.Legacy
Cozma was loved at Veszprém, on the day of his death a crowd of about 1,000 gathered in front of the town's sports arena for a torchlit vigil that was mirrored in several other towns and cities in across Hungary.On 10 February 2009 his body has been first taken from the mortuary to the Veszprém sports hall, from where it was subsequently transferred to Szeged
Szeged
' is the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county town of Csongrád county. The University of Szeged is one of the most distinguished universities in Hungary....
, the home town of KC Veszprém's greatest rivals, where the Hungarian authorities held a goodbye ceremony. Then a few hours later the convoy entered Romania and went through Nădlac
Nadlac
Nădlac is a town in western Romania, Arad County. A former part of the town lies across the border with Hungary; this village is called Nagylak. An international border town, Nădlac is the main border crossing into western Romania from Hungary. It is also a centre of the Lutheran Slovakian...
, Arad
Arad, Romania
Arad is the capital city of Arad County, in western Romania, in the Crişana region, on the river Mureş.An important industrial center and transportation hub, Arad is also the seat of a Romanian Orthodox archbishop and features two universities, a Romanian Orthodox theological seminary, a training...
, Deva
Deva, Romania
Deva is a city in Romania, in the historical region of Transylvania, on the left bank of the Mureș River. It is the capital of Hunedoara County.-Name:...
, Sibiu
Sibiu
Sibiu is a city in Transylvania, Romania with a population of 154,548. Located some 282 km north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the river Olt...
, Braşov
Brasov
Brașov is a city in Romania and the capital of Brașov County.According to the last Romanian census, from 2002, there were 284,596 people living within the city of Brașov, making it the 8th most populated city in Romania....
and Ploieşti
Ploiesti
Ploiești is the county seat of Prahova County and lies in the historical region of Wallachia in Romania. The city is located north of Bucharest....
to the applause of tens of thousands of people all the way along, before arriving to Bucharest after an 18-hour long journey. The body was placed within club Dinamo’s trophy room, where supporters were able to pay their respects, from where on 13 February 2009 it was transferred to the church of the Teiul Doamnei parish for the funeral service. Approximately a thousand people attended the service including his former teammates from Veszprém and the youth and sports minister as well as the state secretary for sports of Romania. Cozma was finally laid to rest in the Pipera
Pipera
Pipera is a district of Voluntari city, situated in the north part of Bucharest, Romania.Until 1995, it was an ordinary village. After that, an "el dorado" of land transactions began. Plots of land that were 1 USD/m² reached in 2005 the amount of 250 USD/m²...
cemetery.
The Romanian Handball Federation
Romanian Handball Federation
The Romanian Handball Federation is the governing body of handball in Romania. It is based in Bucharest. FRH is led by 6 departments.-History:...
Board decided that the Olympic National Center of Excellence in Sighişoara
Sighisoara
Sighişoara is a city and municipality on the Târnava Mare River in Mureş County, Romania. Located in the historic region Transylvania, Sighişoara has a population of 27,706 ....
will change name to Marian Cozma. The Handball Federations of Romania and Hungary have agreed to organize an annual commemoration match between the national teams of the two countries in the memory of him, both in Veszprém and Bucharest. His #8 jersey was retired by his club KC Veszprém as well as the shirt #82 worn by him in the national team of Romania.
He was posthumously appointed honorary citizen of Veszprém, and he is also set to be awarded the title of honorary citizen of Bucharest.
He was awarded the title of emeritus master of sports by the Romanian authorities.
The Nicolae Pârâu street where he lived in Bucharest will wear his name.
The City Hall of Bucharest Sector 2
Sector 2 (Bucharest)
Sector 2 is a sector in Bucharest.-Demographics:Sector 2 is the city's most multicultural sector. In particular, it contains Romania's largest community of Chinese people, who mainly live in the districts of Colentina and Obor....
decided to give the "Distinction of honor" to Marian Cozma post-mortem.
It was decided that the sports hall of the school, number 30 "Grigore Ghica Voivode" of Lăptari Tei no. 23 in Sector 2, where he and his father enrolled, will bear the name of Marian Cozma.
Peluza sud of Dinamo stadium will wear the name of Marian Cozma.
KC Veszprém played its first match after Cozma's death on 15 February, against Ademar León in the EHF Champions League. Fans paid their tribute to Cozma with a silent march through the city before the game. The Veszprém players entered the court for team presentations in white t-shirts, with Cozma's picture on the front and his #8 on the back. Several of the fans were dressed in black, and held farewell message transparents. Veszprém went on to pull out an emotional 28-26 victory in the game.
On 24 May, KC Veszprém won the Hungarian championship
Hungarian Championship of Men's Handball
The Nemzeti Bajnokság I is the premier men's professional handball league in Hungary, administered by the Hungarian Handball Federation. Since 2006 the official name of the championship is Budapest Bank Férfi Kézilabda Liga due to sponsorship reasons....
after defeating SC Pick Szeged
SC Pick Szeged
SC Pick Szeged is a Hungarian team handball club from Szeged, that plays in the Nemzeti Bajnokság I and the EHF Champions League.-Accomplishments:*Nemzeti Bajnokság I:**Gold: 1996, 2007...
in the third game of the championship finals. Team members, wearing their white t-shirts with Cozma's picture, were led up to the medal ceremony by Petre Cozma, who was also issued a gold medal by the Hungarian handball association, which he then hanged on to a giant photo of his son.
The handball match between "U" Transilvania and HC Odorheiu Secuiesc in February 2009 was dedicated to his memory.
A movie about the murder, Szíven szúrt ország ("A Country Stabbed in the Heart") premiered on May 7, 2009 in Veszprém.
The friendly football match from 12 August 2009 between Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
and Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
was dedicated to his memory. Journalists nationals of Hungary and Romania, along with other guests from both countries have also organized a friendly match before the senior teams, a match against violence and in memory of Marian Cozma.
On 6 February 2010 a statue of Cozma was unveiled at the Veszprém Aréna
Veszprém Aréna
Veszprém Aréna is a indoor sports and events hall in Veszprém, Hungary. The arena, which is frequently cited as the hall with one of the most enthralling atmospheres, is the home ground of the top-class handball club MKB Veszprém KC, that regularly host the best teams of Europe...
in Veszprém
Veszprém
Veszprém is one of the oldest urban areas in Hungary, and a city with county rights. It lies approximately north of the Lake Balaton. It is the administrative center of the county of the same name.-Location:...
, from money donated by the Hungarian public.