The women's handball European Championships in December risk being canceled or relocated. Denmark, which will share the hosting with Norway, demands financial guarantees from the European Handball Federation EHF to cover the blow that the corona pandemic entails. Otherwise, Denmark will drop out.

But the EHF has so far refused, despite repeated allegations and meetings between the parties.

- We have said that we in Denmark are willing to arrange the championship and contribute with officials and volunteers, but if it goes with a loss, it is uninteresting for us, says the chairman of the Danish Handball Association Per Bertelsen to the newspaper BT.

Due to the corona pandemic, there is a risk that the matches would have to be played in front of empty stands and without the audience income, the organizers will have to take a financial blow that would affect the association's activities.

Denmark is a large handball country and had hoped for a large audience, including in the arena Boxen in Herning in Jutland.

- It is already sad in itself that we should have a championship where the girls can not get the support of 12,000 spectators in the Box, that is why I wanted to do this. We can live with going plus or minus zero, but that should not cause a loss, says Bertelsen.

The European Handball Championship will be held December 3-20 in Norway and Denmark. Sweden is supposed to play its group matches in Denmark, in Fredrikshamn on Jutland.

Bertelsen tells BT that he has talked to the Norwegian Handball Association's chairman Kåre Geir Lio and that they are in agreement. Both countries drop out of hosting without stronger financial guarantees.

MORE HANDBALL: Olivia Mellegård: "To thrive off the field means a lot" (July 26, 2020)

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