EHF donates beach handball fine
The European Handball Federation has donated the fine issued by a legal instance of the EHF to the Norwegian Handball Federation at the Beach Handball EURO 2021.
The amount of €1,500, handed for a breach of clothing regulations, is given to a major international sports foundation which supports equality for women and girls in sports.
"The EHF acknowledges the position of the players involved and further steps towards change, in close coordination with the International Handball Federation, have been and are in motion," said EHF President Michael Wiederer.
"We are very much aware of the attention the topic has received over the past days, and while changes cannot happen overnight, we are fully committed that something good comes out of this situation right now which is why the EHF has donated the fine for a good cause promoting equality in sports."
The European Handball Federation had already communicated last week that it will do its utmost to influence a change in the beach handball uniform regulations.
"However, any formal decision on the 'Rules of the Game' in beach handball is one of the International Handball Federation and hence I have to reiterate that change can only happen at IHF level. We are committed though to doing all we can to influence this," said Wiederer.
"This was decided at the EHF Congress in April and before the Beach Handball EURO, and we will follow this defined route."
He added: "At the same time, I would also like to underline that it was never the players who were fined, but solely – and according to the regulations – the Norwegian Handball Federation."
Wiederer also explained how the EHF is following its own strategies of strengthening women and women in handball.
"Women’s handball is treated equally in what concerns the competitions systems – and much earlier than in women’s football. Just like in indoor handball, every single EHF Beach Handball EURO has been organised at the very highest level and done so in parallel with the men’s event every second year and with great success on and off the court," he said.
