YOU DON’T SELECT TALENT. YOU SELECT CONNECTIONS. AND YOU CALL IT SPORT.
YOU DON’T SELECT TALENT. YOU SELECT CONNECTIONS. AND YOU CALL IT SPORT.We keep asking why results are missing.Why teams underperform.Why young athletes lose motivation.Why fewer teenagers believe in sport. But we avoid the real question:What happens when selection is no longer about merit? Because too often, it isn’t.We see it in youth systems where decisions are influenced not only by performance, but by relationships, familiarity, and proximity to power. Players who are clearly not ready are promoted, while others-more prepared, more disciplined-are left behind.And then we act surprised when performance collapses.In individual sports, the gap is visible.In team sports, it can be hidden-for a while.But not forever. This is not just a sports problem. It is a culture problem.When young people see that effort is not enough, that talent is negotiable, and that selection can be influenced, they learn something far more dangerous than losing a game:They learn that merit is optional.And this lesson does not stay on the field.It follows them into universities, into institutions, into companies.We don’t just lose matches.We reproduce the same system.And then we wonder why credibility disappears. At the same time, we ask why teenagers look elsewhere for role models-on screens, in virtual worlds, in curated realities. The answer is simple: real idols must be earned. And when they are not, they are no longer believable.If we want to rebuild trust in sport, we need to act-clearly and structurally: * Transparent selection criteria, publicly communicated and consistently applied * Independent evaluation mechanisms, including external or international expertise * Accountability for selection decisions, not just for results * Development pathways that reward progress, not proximityAnd beyond rules, something harder:Standards. Integrity. The willingness to say no.Because no regulation can replace character. I’m Nicholas Carstoiu, athlete and youth advocate, and I believe sport should be the last place where merit is compromised-not the first.If we don’t reset the system, the next generations will not fix it.They will inherit it. __________________________________________hashtag#Meritocracy hashtag#FairPlay hashtag#YouthSports hashtag#Leadership hashtag#Integrity hashtag#SportForAll hashtag#TeamSports hashtag#Romania hashtag#SANEproject hashtag#ErasmusPlus hashtag#UNICEF hashtag#SocialImpact hashtag#FutureGenerations hashtag#FRB hashtag#FederatiaRomanaDeBaschet hashtag#FRF hashtag#FederatiaRomanaDeFotbal hashtag#FederatiaRomanaDeHandbal hashtag#FederatiaRomanaDeGimnastica hashtag#LRF hashtag#LiceulRomnoFinlandez hashtag#NicholasCarstoiu hashtag#NichoCarstoiu hashtag#Carstoiu hashtag#FBR hashtag#FRH hashtag#FRG hashtag#FRGR hashtag#FederatiaRomanaDeTenis hashtag#FRT hashtag#EduPedu hashtag#Digi24
NU SELECTATI TALENTUL. SELECTATI RELATIILE. SI II SPUNETI SPORT.Ne intrebam constant de ce nu avem rezultate.De ce echipele nu performeaza.De ce tinerii isi pierd motivatia.De ce tot mai putini adolescenti mai cred in sport. Dar evitam intrebarea reala:Ce se intampla cand selectia nu mai are la baza meritul? Pentru ca, prea des, nu mai are.Vedem sisteme in care deciziile nu sunt influentate doar de performanta, ci si de relatii, apropiere si conexiuni. Jucatori care nu sunt pregatiti sunt promovati, in timp ce altii-mai disciplinati, mai constanti-raman in afara.Si apoi ne miram ca rezultatele lipsesc.In sporturile individuale, diferenta se vede imediat.In sporturile de echipa, poate fi ascunsa-pentru o vreme.Dar nu la nesfarsit. Aceasta nu mai este doar o problema de sport. Este o problema de cultura.Cand un adolescent vede ca munca nu este suficienta, ca talentul este negociabil si ca selectia poate fi influentata, invata ceva mult mai periculos decat o infrangere:Invata ca meritul este optional.Iar aceasta lectie nu ramane pe teren.O duce mai departe in facultati, in institutii, in companii.Nu pierdem doar meciuri.Reproducem acelasi sistem.Si apoi ne miram ca increderea dispare. In acelasi timp, ne intrebam de ce adolescentii nu isi mai gasesc modele reale si se refugiaza in ecrane. Raspunsul este simplu: modelele reale trebuie castigate. Iar atunci cand nu sunt, nu mai sunt credibile.Daca vrem sa reconstruim increderea in sport, trebuie sa actionam clar: * Criterii de selectie transparente, comunicate public si respectate * Evaluari independente, inclusiv expertiza internationala * Responsabilitate pentru deciziile de selectie, nu doar pentru rezultate * Sisteme care recompenseaza progresul, nu relatiileSi, dincolo de reguli, ceva mai dificil:Standarde. Integritate. Curajul de a spune nu.Pentru ca nicio regula nu poate inlocui caracterul. Sunt Nicholas Carstoiu, sportiv si implicat in initiative pentru tineri, si cred ca sportul ar trebui sa fie ultimul loc in care meritul este compromis, nu primul.Daca nu resetam sistemul acum, generatiile urmatoare nu il vor schimba.Il vor mosteni. __________________________________________hashtag#Meritocratie hashtag#FairPlay hashtag#SportPentruTineri hashtag#Integritate hashtag#Leadership hashtag#SportPentruToti hashtag#SportDeEchipa hashtag#Romania hashtag#SANE hashtag#ErasmusPlus hashtag#UNICEF hashtag#ImpactSocial hashtag#Viitor hashtag#FRB hashtag#FederatiaRomanaDeBaschet hashtag#FRF hashtag#FederatiaRomanaDeFotbal hashtag#FederatiaRomanaDeHandbal hashtag#FederatiaRomanaDeGimnastica hashtag#LRF hashtag#LiceulRomnoFinlandez hashtag#NicholasCarstoiu hashtag#NichoCarstoiu hashtag#Carstoiu hashtag#FBR hashtag#FRH hashtag#FRG hashtag#FRGR hashtag#FederatiaRomanaDeTenis hashtag#FRT hashtag#EduPedu hashtag#Digi24
Originally published on LinkedIn.Publicat inițial pe LinkedIn.
