Did you have stomach ache when deciding to vote for the national team to stay in the EURO tournament?

The HBL does not make the decision.

Before the European Championship, we as a league said: The goal is not to win the title, but to stay healthy.

Something has clearly come up.

Contrary to what is announced, almost all countries are struggling with it.

We really are in a dilemma and will only be able to say in a few months whether our decision was the right one.

Wouldn't it make more sense for the German Handball Federation (DHB) to withdraw?

In this consideration, the health of the players is paramount.

The fact that the courses of the previous infections are mild or symptom-free has led to the DHB deciding to continue.

We support that as HBL.

This was preceded by long discussions.

Based on the level of knowledge today, it is reasonable to stay in the tournament.

What would have been the reason for a rejection?

If the team had said we didn't want any more, there would have been a new situation.

Or no more players would have been nominated and the team would have played with those who are there.

That would not have been 16, but fewer players.

But that would also have been unfair for those who are still here (in Germany/ed.) and able to play.

In order to eliminate the chain of infection with certainty, 16 new players would have had to be nominated, which is not feasible.

We also had this discussion, but that's not possible.

Incidentally, all the players who have now been nominated have said they want to be there.

And the management of the clubs agreed to that.

Shouldn't the DHB make the decision for the players?

It's difficult to expect a 25-year-old from whom many decisions are made in club life to make this decision.

There are no easy answers to this.

Do we have to learn to live with the virus - or is it mere bread and circuses what we are experiencing in Bratislava?

I think the tournament would have been canceled six weeks ago with the Delta variant and its courses.

Now, however, and assuming that the infections are due to the omicron virus, we said: this is the new normal.

We have to live with that.

This is also shown by the daily new records in the number of infections in Germany.

But there is undoubtedly a risk for the players.

However, we have agreed to take the new normal as a benchmark.

If we continue to perceive the Omicron variant as the greatest risk of all and want to protect ourselves at all costs, you and I shouldn't be able to go to work either.

When would a withdrawal from the tournament be appropriate?

It's all finite.

A few days ago I said that if five more people were nominated, that wouldn't work.

I had to revise myself there.

But you look anxiously at the PCR tests every day at lunchtime – if both goalkeepers are out now, a field player would have to go into the goal.

Fortunately, today (on Thursday, ed.) all of the Germans' PCR tests were negative.

Two Spaniards are now missing.

Does the HBL fear game cancellations in the Bundesliga?

As a rule, the infected players are healthy again after five days.

Those infected now will be back for the start of the league on February 6th with the cup quarterfinals.

But there is a risk of becoming infected again before a Bundesliga game when the players meet their families back in Germany.

We'll have to get used to it.