Following the discussions in Norway between the Norwegian Handball Federation and the relevant governmental authorities in the sports and health sector regarding the hygiene concept for the Women’s EHF EURO 2020 in Norway and Denmark, the European Handball Federation issues the following statement:

The EHF is fully aware of the situation in Norway, the measures that are in place to contain the spread of Covid-19 and the challenges this poses for the conduct of the Women’s EHF EURO 2020 in Norway and Denmark.

However, clarity needs to be sought, in particular for the teams that are scheduled to play in groups C and D, namely Netherlands, Hungary, Serbia and Croatia as well as Romania, Norway, Germany and Poland, currently set in Trondheim.

The EHF took note of the Norwegian government’s decision to ask for a refinement of the existing hygiene concept and the announcement not to make a final decision on the concept as such by late this week or even early next week.

In order to safeguard the conduct of the Women’s EHF EURO 2020, the European Handball Federation expects a confirmation by the Norwegian Handball Federation, as part of the overall organising committee of Women’s EHF EURO 2020, that matches can be played in Trondheim by Tuesday morning next week (17 November 2020).

The teams in question have been informed about the situation and a final decision by the OCs early next week. Nevertheless, the EHF remains optimistic that, with the shared interest of the motivated OCs, it can be managed to have the top level event in the two countries.