Opponents can probably not compete: DHB team faces bitter World Cup premiere

Saturday, January 16, 2021

Opponent can probably not compete
DHB team faces bitter World Cup premiere

The World Cup game of the German handball players against Cape Verde threatens to be canceled due to further corona cases in the African team. You no longer have the ten players you need, and subsequent nominations are not recommended. The German team should breathe a sigh of relief.

Because of two new corona cases with the opponent, the second German World Cup preliminary round game against Cape Verde, scheduled for Sunday (6 p.m. / ARD), is about to be canceled. The world association IHF reported on Saturday afternoon about the two positive findings in the Africans. Since Cape Verde only traveled to Egypt with eleven players due to previous corona cases, the team does not have the ten players required by the regulations. It would be the first game in the controversial World Cup that has to be canceled at short notice. With the USA and the Czech Republic, two teams did not even arrive due to corona outbreaks and were replaced by Switzerland and North Macedonia.

"We assume that we as DHB do not have to make a decision. A game cancellation seems inevitable," said DHB Vice President Bob Hanning the SID. DHB sports director Axel Kromer said: "We assume and have good hopes that both Cape Verde and the IHF will make the decision that we don't have to compete tomorrow."

If the game does not take place, it will be rated with a 10-0 win for Germany. The only way that the game will still take place is that Cape Verde has at least one player flown in. This must have a negative PCR test that is no more than 72 hours old. In addition, he would have to undergo another PCR test in Egypt, which would also have to be negative. "The chance of the game against us is presented as extremely small. The game is unlikely to be realized," said Kromer.

No contact with the German team

Both Cape Verdean players who tested positive were infected with the virus at the beginning of January, but then had negative test results before arriving in Cairo. The players concerned were immediately isolated. Both have to present two negative results with at least 48 hours between them in order to be eligible to play again. Cape Verde lost to Hungary at the start of the World Cup on Friday evening (27:34).

Even before the trip to Egypt, the Cape Verdes team had had a number of corona cases. According to media reports, head coach Jose Tomas did not even travel to the Nile like half a dozen players suffering from Corona.

Because of the positive tests, those responsible for the DHB had obtained that the delegation from the island state was initially isolated in a quarantine hotel. After consistently negative results, the Africans were also accommodated in the team quarters of the German team on Friday evening. According to Hanning, however, there was no contact with the German team.