The EHF reserved the right to decide the issue of matches of Russian teams
The Executive Committee of the European Handball Federation commented on the admission of the national teams of Russia and Belarus
Quick Look
The Executive Committee of the European Handball Federation reserved the right to make decisions on matches of Russian teams at tournaments in Europe, taking into account the development of the international situation and security issues after the IHF decision.
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Why It Matters
The International Handball Federation allowed the Russian and Belarusian national teams to participate in tournaments without restrictions, after which the EHF Executive Committee considered the issues of European competitions.
The Executive Committee of the European Handball Federation (EHF) has reserved the right to make various decisions regarding the holding of matches of Russian teams in Europe at tournaments under its auspices, according to a statement on the organization’s website.
In July, the International Handball Federation (IHF) allowed the Russian and Belarusian national teams to participate in international tournaments without any restrictions.
“After the IHF, following the recommendation of the IOC, decided to fully include the national teams of Russia and Belarus in the respective competitive cycles, the EHF Executive Committee considered issues relating to European tournaments and the European stage of qualification for the IHF World Championship,” the EHF statement said.
“Based on the current situation, the executive committee confirmed the possibility of registering the mentioned federations, but reserved the right, when making further decisions, to take into account developments in the international arena (in particular, the verdicts of the Court of Arbitration for Sport - CAS) and assess the possibility of holding matches in Europe, taking into account the specifics of various tournaments and qualifying stages. In addition, the timing of the formation of competitive systems, registration procedures, and draws will play an important role,” the organization added.
Commenting on the decision, the EHF added: “Having coordinated its actions with the association of European team sports (a platform that includes representatives of football - UEFA, basketball - FIBA, volleyball - CEV, ice hockey - IIHF and rugby - Rugby Europe) and having carefully analyzed the legal, as well as - most importantly - organizational and security aspects, the executive committee reiterated that this issue should not be considered solely in the context handball; this is, first of all, a consequence of the ongoing conflict, which currently has no prospects for a political settlement."
Open Questions
- What specific decisions will the EHF make regarding matches of Russian teams?
- How will CAS verdicts affect future tournaments?
