WCh 2015 (Qatar) - Qualification

[Aus21]

As another member of the Australian team. I can tell you we would love to take the sport to CAS, however Handball Australia simply doesnt have the money to launch a case and the IHF know this. We had to pay to play in the qualification tournament, we have to pay around $200 per player just to have a 2 day training camp while we sleep on each others floors. Ideally we would love to do it but the money just isnt there to do it

[karel]

Bahrain decided not to participate in WCh. The reason why they did this isn't known, but it might be some political (relations between Qatar and Bahrain).
Bahrain was to be one of our opponents. It hasn't been announced yet who is gonna replace this team in our pool.
Maybe Australia?

[Ivar]

Bahrain decided not to participate in WCh. The reason why they did this isn't known, but it might be some political (relations between Qatar and Bahrain).
Bahrain was to be one of our opponents. It hasn't been announced yet who is gonna replace this team in our pool.
Maybe Australia?

Apparently the UAE pulled out as well. What a freaking joke this tournament is turning out to be.

[mikh]

Hehe... has anyone seen Qatar's roster? Loooots of new players they "grew" overnight.
I hope Iceland says no. Australia too. IHF needs a slap on the wrist.

[Ivar]

Hehe... has anyone seen Qatar's roster? Loooots of new players they "grew" overnight.
I hope Iceland says no. Australia too. IHF needs a slap on the wrist.

Australia will not be offered their spot back because the IHF doesn't recognize Oceania as a continental federation anymore. That ship has sailed, unfortunately.

Iceland won't refuse a spot if offered. Our federation has already contacted the IHF to make their case as a wildcard.

[Deuce]

but it might be some political (relations between Qatar and Bahrain).
Bahrain was to be one of our opponents. It hasn't been announced yet who is gonna replace this team in our pool.
Maybe Australia?

According to handball-planet http://www.handball-planet.com/bahrain- ... or-losers/ reason is political, but between all Persian Gulf countries and Qatar. It would be logical (well, IHF and logic ) if Asia (Korea, Japan?) got emptied spot(s), but who knows - Iceland, Hungary, Serbia could be substitutes too. We'll know at 21st November - http://www.ihf.info/MediaCenter/News/Ne ... px?ID=2186 It looks like Poland's group will be even more interesting now

[Ivar]

but it might be some political (relations between Qatar and Bahrain).
Bahrain was to be one of our opponents. It hasn't been announced yet who is gonna replace this team in our pool.
Maybe Australia?

According to handball-planet http://www.handball-planet.com/bahrain- ... or-losers/ reason is political, but between all Persian Gulf countries and Qatar. It would be logical (well, IHF and logic ) if Asia (Korea, Japan?) got emptied spot(s), but who knows - Iceland, Hungary, Serbia could be substitutes too. We'll know at 21st November - http://www.ihf.info/MediaCenter/News/Ne ... px?ID=2186 It looks like Poland's group will be even more interesting now

According to the old rules, only the first reserve country from the continent would get the spot. Nobody actually knows what would happen if two countries from the same continent drop out, because that situation isn't defined in the rules.

None of that matters anyways, because according to the new rules, the IHF can just pick whoever the k**f they want.

[tmlouk]

Sucht things only happens in not so popular Sports.
btw, It`s Kind of a laughingstock, to step back either of political reason or "Not prepared well"..

You will never find any Football Team, that step back from the Participation at the FIFA Wolrd Cup.

One more reason - Handball World Championchips is not so important. This Tournament is taking place every 2 yrs, so ""if we don`t Play this year, we can make it in 2 yrs again"".
If a Team is getting Handball World Champ > it happens, but 2 days after, nobody isn`t more interested in it.

A World Championchip every 4 yrs, as well as a European Championchips every 4rs would upgrate this Tournament, and would also relieve the Players.

[Ivar]

A World Championchip every 4 yrs, as well as a European Championchips every 4rs would upgrate this Tournament, and would also relieve the Players.

A thousand times this. Alfred Gislason has said this many times, there is too much pressure on the players. A player in a top national team will participate in 5 national team tournaments in 4 years (Olympics, the WCh, the Euro, the WCh again, the Euro again) on top of his club duties. That is insane.

[kleber]

Group of death!!!!!!!!

denmark,poland,russia,germany,iceland,argentina.

[max]

And a nice group A for Qatar.

And as far as I know only France got the tv-rights from Al Jazeera?

And the latest: IHF and Qatar have officially invited 10 journalists from every
participating nation and will pay for all expenses...

I'm 100% certain there will be no "prostitute-journalists" from Scandinavia in Qatar.

[Ivar]

And the latest: IHF and Qatar have officially invited 10 journalists from every
participating nation and will pay for all expenses...

I'm 100% certain there will be no "prostitute-journalists" from Scandinavia in Qatar.

If Qatar is paying the journalists to stay, they can control whatever news they report!

Hassan Mustafa himself signed this agreement! What a blatantly corrupt piece of crap.

[karel]

A World Championchip every 4 yrs, as well as a European Championchips every 4rs would upgrate this Tournament, and would also relieve the Players.

A thousand times this. Alfred Gislason has said this many times, there is too much pressure on the players. A player in a top national team will participate in 5 national team tournaments in 4 years (Olympics, the WCh, the Euro, the WCh again, the Euro again) on top of his club duties. That is insane.

That's true. For example in volleyball you have World Championships in 4 years periods, (like Olympic games, football WC or Euro). I can't imagine such a exhausting tournament in every two years...

[Deuce]

And it's official, UAE withdrew too. http://www.ihf.info/MediaCenter/News/Ne ... px?ID=2188

[Galpa]

Hungary has applied for the vacant places.
How they will decide?
1. Two best non-qualified teams from last WC: Hungary, Serbia - would be too appropriate
2. Two best non-qualified teams from last EC: Iceland, Hungary - why EC?
3. Two best non-qualified teams from IHF ranking: Serbia, Hungary - anybody cares about ranking?
4. Two best non-qualified teams from last Asian Cup: South Korea, Saudi Arabia - they are too weak, level would drop
5. Who has more money? As we know handball federations, this will decide...

[Ivar]

Hungary has applied for the vacant places.
2. Two best non-qualified teams from last EC: Iceland, Hungary - why EC?

Why? Because that's what would happen according to the rules before the IHF changed them to throw in Germany.

Unless the IHF wants to avoid a lawsuit from Iceland (which is pretty likely to happen), Hungary and Serbia will probably get the spots.

[Galpa]

Hungary has applied for the vacant places.
2. Two best non-qualified teams from last EC: Iceland, Hungary - why EC?

Why? Because that's what would happen according to the rules before the IHF changed them to throw in Germany.

Unless the IHF wants to avoid a lawsuit from Iceland (which is pretty likely to happen), Hungary and Serbia will probably get the spots.

I think Asia would deserve at least one of the free places. And South Korea is on a fair level. The other one should be the best non-qualified team from last WC (just to avoid further protests regarding Germany): Hungary.

[Ivar]

Hungary has applied for the vacant places.
2. Two best non-qualified teams from last EC: Iceland, Hungary - why EC?

Why? Because that's what would happen according to the rules before the IHF changed them to throw in Germany.

Unless the IHF wants to avoid a lawsuit from Iceland (which is pretty likely to happen), Hungary and Serbia will probably get the spots.

I think Asia would deserve at least one of the free places. And South Korea is on a fair level. The other one should be the best non-qualified team from last WC (just to avoid further protests regarding Germany): Hungary.

Like I said earlier, according to the old rules, the first reserve goes to the top non-qualified team of the last continental championship of the last world champion's federation. The last champion was from Europe, so the spot would go to Iceland as the 5th place from the 2014 Euro. Those were the rules when the qualification started. If you think this is was a bad rule, you change them AFTER the competition ends.

Hungary's claim as the top reserve from Europe is based on the illegal decisions of the IHF, whether you disagree with the old rules or not. I get that you want your country to compete, but this is just the way it is. Hungary will likely get one of the spots anyways, but it's not what "should" happen.

What SHOULD happen is Australia gets the spot back from Germany and the recent changes to the rules are reverted or at least delayed until the 2017 qualification. But of course none of that will happen because $$$.

Iceland, Hungary, South Korea, Serbia or whatever other country hopes to get the wild card have no right to be there because THEY DIDN'T QUALIFY. Australia qualified, and were unjustly thrown out in favor of Germany.

We SHOULD be protesting the situation regarding Germany and Australia as loudly as possible!

[Galpa]

Like I said earlier, according to the old rules, the first reserve goes to the top non-qualified team of the last continental championship of the last world champion's federation. The last champion was from Europe, so the spot would go to Iceland as the 5th place from the 2014 Euro. Those were the rules when the qualification started. If you think this is was a bad rule, you change them AFTER the competition ends.

Hungary's claim as the top reserve from Europe is based on the illegal decisions of the IHF, whether you disagree with the old rules or not. I get that you want your country to compete, but this is just the way it is. Hungary will likely get one of the spots anyways, but it's not what "should" happen.

What SHOULD happen is Australia gets the spot back from Germany and the recent changes to the rules are reverted or at least delayed until the 2017 qualification. But of course none of that will happen because $$$.

Iceland, Hungary, South Korea, Serbia or whatever other country hopes to get the wild card have no right to be there because THEY DIDN'T QUALIFY. Australia qualified, and were unjustly thrown out in favor of Germany.

We SHOULD be protesting the situation regarding Germany and Australia as loudly as possible!

IHF is corrupt and lacks any logic, I know, you don't have to prove it. The method of excluding Australia and inviting Germany was just a joke. Just too amateur...Though I won't feel sorry for Australia. Automatic place for what? Did they make any progress during decades?

Anyway, I was talking about current situation. Hungary should get 1 spot if IHF wants to pretend to be consequent. And I mentioned my personal opinion that Asia would deserve a ticket.

[Ivar]

IHF is corrupt and lacks any logic, I know, you don't have to prove it. The method of excluding Australia and inviting Germany was just a joke. Just too amateur...Though I won't feel sorry for Australia. Automatic place for what? Did they make any progress during decades?

Anyway, I was talking about current situation. Hungary should get 1 spot if IHF wants to pretend to be consequent. And I mentioned my personal opinion that Asia would deserve a ticket.

Well, unfortunately for South Korea, the IHF can pick whoever they want. When they changed the rules, they didn't change them to "top reserve is according to the last WCh", they changed them to "we can pick whoever we want". Hungary and Serbia I think are the most likely to get the spots, because the IHF will probably want to be consistent in their excuse, like you mentioned.

Unless the IHF feels threatened enough by Iceland's lawsuit to give us a spot (HAHAHA, fat chance), I'll probably be watching as a neutral. Most of our young players are dealing with injuries, so they need the break anyways. I hope we stay out of this stupid tournament and come back stronger in 2017.

Regarding Australia, I do feel sorry for them because many of the players and officials had already started to fund their trip with their own money. There should be changes to their qualification route, I agree, but that has to happen in the next competition.

[mikh]

Just to throw an idea in: Saudi Arabia are good friends with Qatar. Don't rule them out completely.
I dream of a beautiful world [of handball] in which nobody would agree to have "the honor" of participating in this joke of event.

I also agree with those saying that a WCh (especially in men) every 2 years is simply too much. It already was an all European affair, now it will simply transform in an extra ECh. 4 years should be just enough and help with motivation of players as well as a better funding of the competition to render it more attractive.

[Rammy]

I think the Saudis have the same problem with Qatar as Bahrein and UAE has.
But I don't think there is much of a risk of a group of death with Iceland in with Denmark, Poland, Germany etc. Iceland will not be in Qatar. The IHF will put Hungary in with Sweden etc. in Group C and South Korea in Group D.
Why?
Because, as Ivar has explained, they will want to defend their sick logic with Germany by stickning to the principle of best placed team in the Worlds getting the nod, and Hungary are next in line. But they don't want a group of death, so will pick South Korea as the next Asian team in line.

[Ivar]

And the farce continues. Bahrain and the UAE have both requested that the IHF give them back their spots.

[Arcosh]

IHF's decision: Bahrain and UAE will not get their spots back and instead Iceland and Saudi Arabia will participate. Iceland will play in Group C and Saudi Arabia in Group D.

Source: Sky sport news


For future events they should just cancel qualification and simply invite the contries they wish to participate.

[Ivar]

IHF's decision: Bahrain and UAE will not get their spots back and instead Iceland and Saudi Arabia will participate. Iceland will play in Group C and Saudi Arabia in Group D.

Source: Sky sport news


For future events they should just cancel qualification and simply invite the contries they wish to participate.

This is a surprise. I expected Hungary and Serbia to get the spots.

I was hoping we could use this absence to rebuild our team since damn near everyone is dealing with some kind of injury, but that's not happening now. I seriously doubt we can deal with Sweden and France like we did in 2012, but I suppose we can get 3rd or 4th place in the group.