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HANDBALL

Norway makes handball history with first ever semi-final appearance

Norway booked their first semi-final spot at the world handball championships with a 31-28 win over Hungary on Tuesday.

Published: 25 January 2017 08:27 CET
Norway makes handball history with first ever semi-final appearance
Norway's left back Espen Lie Hansen jumps to shoot on goal during the 25th IHF Men's World Championship 2017 quarter final match against Hungary on Tuesday. Photo: PHILIPPE DESMAZES/AFP/SCANPIX
Espen Lie Hansen, Sander Sagosen and goalkeeper Torbjorn Bergrund laid the groundwork for the Norwegian win over Hungary, which in a shock upset had sent Olympic champions Denmark packing.
 
The Norwegians, whose highest world ranking of six was back in 1958, will meet either Spain or Croatia on Friday for a place in the final.
 
Meanwhile, powerhouse France kept their title defence on track seeing off a dogged Sweden 33-30 to punch their ticket to the semi-finals.
 
The hosts had trailed 16-15 at half-time in the quarter-final clash in the northern city of Lille as Lukas Nilsson powered Sweden with five first-half goals.
 
But thanks to some key substitutions such as Vincent Gerard, Kentin Mahe and Nedim Remili, the French battled back to keep their bid for a sixth world title on track.
 
With Denmark and European holders Germany already eliminated from the tournament, France appears to be in the driver's seat.
 
France next play Slovenia or Qatar on Thursday for a place in the final.

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HANDBALL

Norway backs out of co-hosting Euro handball champs with Denmark over Covid

Norway has pulled out of co-hosting the women's European handball championship just two weeks before the start in December due to restrictions linked to the coronavirus pandemic, its federation said on Monday.

Published: 16 November 2020 16:36 CET
Norway backs out of co-hosting Euro handball champs with Denmark over Covid
Denmark playing against Norway at last year's handball world cup in Japan. Photo: Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix

“Based on in-depth assessments by Norwegian health authorities as well as clear demands from Norwegian political authorities, it is now clear that Norway cannot be an organiser of the women's European handball championship,” the federation said.

Denmark is now considering whether to host the event on its own.

Strict restrictions are however currently in place in the North Jutland region, where some of the matches were due to be played, after a mutated version of the virus was found in the country's mink population, infecting 12 people.

The European Handball Federation “very much regrets the decision of the Norwegian government”, it said in a statement, referring to the Norwegian health authorities' refusal to grant exemptions to the strict measures it has imposed.

Under current rules, if a player or team official tests positive for the virus the entire team must quarantine, as well as the teams that it has opposed just prior.

The rules are less strict in Denmark.

“Alternatives are being sought with the Danish Handball Association and additional information will be released on Tuesday at the latest,” the European Handball Federation said.

Norway had been due to host around 60 percent of matches, including the final, in Trondheim.

While Norway has been one of the countries in Europe least affected by the pandemic, it has seen a recent uptick in cases which has led authorities to introduce a series of measures, notably on cultural and sporting events.

READ ALSO: Extra coronavirus restrictions 'halve travel' inside Danish region

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