Paris (AFP)

After women's basketball, ice hockey and volleyball, handball gave up on ending its season because of the coronavirus epidemic, but unlike other indoor sports, it chose its champion, Paris SG.

The last Starligue match between PSG and Nîmes (39-29) took place in Coubertin on March 5. Eight days later, all competitions were suspended.

The day after President Emmanuel Macron announced the ban until at least mid-July of events attracting large audiences, the National Handball League preferred to draw a line under the last eight days.

The possibility of playing the rest of the matches behind closed doors, mentioned for football and rugby, has not been considered. "It was inconceivable to end the season without the support of our supporters and our partners. Our sport must be a time of celebration and sharing of emotions," said Nîmes president David Tebib on his website. .

For PSG, it is a seventh national title, the sixth in a row, acquired under special conditions, even if its sports legitimacy is not in doubt. After 18 games, he was undefeated (17 wins, 1 draw) and largely in the lead with 6 points ahead of Nantes and 9 over Nîmes.

The group of Nikola Karabatic, who became the most successful player in the history of the French Championship with 12 trophies, from his brother Luka, the Scandinavians Mikkel Hansen and Sander Sagosen, goalkeepers Rodrigo Corrales and Vincent Gérard seemed untouchable.

"There is bound to be satisfaction. We dominated the championship from start to finish and remained unbeaten. We don't feel like we have stolen this title, far from it. But we usually celebrate it all together while there we learned that each at home, it's very weird, "said the goalkeeper of the France team.

- No relegation -

PSG will of course play the Champions League next season. Nantes is currently qualified for the European Handball League (ex-EHF Cup) with Nîmes, Montpellier and Toulouse, but could get an invitation for the C1. It is not yet known whether the 2020 edition, in which the Parisians and the Montpellier residents are still racing, will come to an end.

The Proligue (D2) has also been definitively interrupted. Cesson-Rennes, leading after 18 days, was promoted to Starligue, as was Limoges, who was second by two points.

"To facilitate recovery in a complicated context", the NHL decided that there would be no relegation. The elite will therefore pass next season to 16 clubs, a change that was anyway planned for the following seasons.

"According to government recommendations, Créteil remains at home in Starligue," tweeted in the blink of an eye the suburban club, red lantern at the time of the judgment.

The NHL is now working on several hypotheses for the start of the 2020-2021 season. The kick-off could take place between the end of August and the beginning of October depending on the evolution of the health situation. A reduction in the calendar, with perhaps the merger of the Coupe de France and the Coupe de la Ligue, is under consideration.

© 2020 AFP