Oina - Romania’s national sport

Characterised by dynamism and speed, oina, Romania’s national sport, is a complex sports game that perfectly combines running and jumping with thinking.

The beginnings of this game are lost in the mists of time. Shepherding has been one of the basic occupations of the Romanian people for centuries. Oina was created by shepherds who, in the solitude of the mountains, invented this beautiful game, eager to spend their rest time practising a game that reminded them of their occupation.

So, having its origins in the Romanian villages, this old game was passed down from generation to generation. It constantly evolved, played in different ways and with various names in different areas of Romania.

Initially, the ball was made from cow hair, which was wet and shaped by hand. Then it began to be tied up or braided with string. Later, the ball was made of patches of skin, filled with hair - which is how it is made today.

It was not until the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century that the first official game regulations appeared, drawn up and printed under the auspices of the Ministry of Education and applied uniformly throughout the country.

Spiru Haret was the Minister of Education between 1897 and 1910. He reformed the modern Romanian education system, and instituted annual school oina competitions in 1898, which led to the sport becoming popular.

Between 1920 and 1932, oina experienced rapid progress, becoming more popular than sports of foreign origin. In 1944 and 1945, it was left without subsidies. It was materially supported again, from 1949, when a real revolution of the game took place: competitions were resumed, the foundations of the coaching, referees and instructors’ schools were laid and the rules of the game were changed.

Since the 1990s, oina has suffered a severe decline.

Clubs were disbanded or reorganised, and the sport was only played in a few centres, due to lack of money, fame, media exposure and other factors. As it was not considered to be a profitable short and medium term investment, and a local sport without regular external trips and international networks, no sponsors were found.

Since July 3 2014, oina has become Romania's national sport. A national program - 'Rediscover oina' - was launched, to promote a niche sport that has not disappeared due to the tenacity of some people.

The Romanian Oina Federation is currently responsible for promoting this game. At present, there are five county oina associations and 32 clubs: 12 of them in urban areas and 20 in rural areas.

Due to its technicalities and to the appropriate training methods used, oina has become a modern game, which can compete with any of the sports practised today.

Oina is a sport in which the players of a team play differently in one half of the game than they do in the second half. In one half, a team is 'pitching' and, in the second half, the same team is 'catching'.

When the team is 'pitching', the main goal is to get as many extra points from hitting the ball with the stick and to pass as many untouched teammates as possible. The 'catching' team has the mission to prevent the opponent from getting points, catching any flying ball that comes into the field, and hitting as many opponents as possible.

Despite the fact that they seem quite similar (and some would say that they have common origins), oina and American baseball are different in terms of regulations, number of players, equipment, size of the field and many others. Oina is also similar to sports in other countries, such as Schlagball in Germany, jeu de paume in France, or pesäpallo in Finland.

Oina is a sport which has been preserved over centuries for a number of reasons. The expenses generated by its practice are minimal. In addition, the game is accessible to players young and old. And last but not least, the game has survived because of people's passion for the sport, their customs and traditions.