European handball champion Sweden travels to the home world championships by bus to the games in Gothenburg - even though the Drei-Kronen-Team lives only 300 meters from the hall.
“It has to do with television.
They want pictures of us getting off the bus," Sweden coach Glenn Solberg told Aftonbladet newspaper before the successful opening game (26:18) of the World Cup against Brazil.
The finals co-hosts also face Uruguay and Cape Verde in Group C.
The bus ride also has the advantage "that we can focus on the essentials," said Solberg.
After all, there was "no time for 55 selfies," said playmaker Jim Gottfridsson from SG Flensburg-Handewitt.
Led by Gottfridsson, the Swedes got off to a successful start in the Handball World Championship on Thursday.
The director himself contributed six goals in the victory against Brazil.
Incidentally, the strange travel situation for the Swedes is not new: On the way to the European Championship title last year, they also drove to Bratislava in Slovakia - although they even played in the same building in which they lived.
Nevertheless, a trip around the block was required - because of the TV pictures.
Incidentally, the not exactly environmentally friendly regulation only applies to the journey to the games.
After games and training, players are allowed to walk.
"After the games, autographs and photos are no problem," says Gottfridsson.