Anita Görbicz confirms pregnancy, misses Women’s EHF EURO 2014

Sometimes joy and a state of shock are inseparably linked to each other.

So it happened on Thursday when it became known that Hungarian playmaker Anita Görbicz is pregnant and will hence miss the rest of the season including the Women’s EHF EURO 2014 in Hungary and Croatia.

Although it has been known for a while that the world class player wants to have a baby, the common thought was she would be available for the national team in December at the EHF EURO.

Not such a big surprise

"At the end of last season I told my intentions to Ambros Martin and Andras Nemeth (coaches of Győr and the national team), who both accepted my decision.

"We all started preparing for this current season aware of the situation so it came as no surprise for any of the concerned," Anita Görbicz told ehf-euro.com.

Győr showed they were aware of the situation, signing Spanish international Macarena Aguilar at the beginning of the season.

"We have had enough time to prepare for this scenario, however, Anita’s absence puts us in a difficult situation as the world’s best playmaker is almost impossible to replace," said Győr president Ernö Kelecsenyi.

"(But) as I said, we were prepared and will do everything to stay in the race to reach our goals for the season."

In the national team, however, Hungary head coach Andras Nemeth cannot, for obvious reasons, sign a new playmaker of Görbicz’s class for the national team before the upcoming event.

"I offer my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to Anita.

"We are facing a difficult situation but we have to show that we can still build a team that can compete in the tournament as if Anita was with us," said Nemeth.

Hungary have two centre backs in their squad, Ferencváros’s Zita Szucsanszki and Gabriell Toth from Mosonmagyarovar, but it seems likely that Aniko Kovacsics, who started as a playmaker but now plays as a wing, will have to play in the centre.