World Championships 1999. The contours are becoming clear (15
Nov. 1998)
The contours of the four
World Championships to be held in 1999 are already becoming clear. Of
the total of 92 national teams which can qualify for the title matches
in Egypt (men), Norway (women), Qatar (men's juniors) and China (women's
juniors), 40 have already been determined. Below the situation as it
is stands the moment.
For the men's World Championships,
which will take place in Ismailia, Port Said, Alexandria and Cairo from
the 1st to the 15th of June, world champions Russia and host Egypt qualified
automatically. In addition, Sweden, Spain, Germany and Yugoslavia secured
their tickets for the journey to the Nile at the European Championships
in Italy. A further six participants will be determined by the EHF in several
qualifying tournaments by the end of November. The Pan-American continent
will be represented by Cuba, Argentina and Brazil, while Australia, in
its role as host of the Olympic Games 2000, was awarded Oceania's berth.
Asia's representatives will be determined by the end of the year.
In respect of the participants
at the women's World Championships in Norway, a large degree of uncertainty
still dominates. Only World Champions Denmark, organizer Norway and
Oceania's representative Australia have been established by now. All other
participants have to be determined at continental qualifications. At Norway's
request, by the way, the Championships have been brought forward by one
week by the Council and will now take place in the period from the 28th
of November to the 12th of December.
The
men's junior World Championships in Qatar from the 22nd of August to the
5th of September will be carried out with 22 teams (instead of 20, as used
to be the case). This will also apply to the women’s juniors. This increase
goes back to a corresponding Council decision, which secures the direct
participation of an Oceanian representative and aims to avoid expensive
qualifiers between different continents. Besides organizer Qatar the three
Asian representatives Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have been determined,
as have the four African representatives Egypt, Tunisia, Angola and the
Ivory Coast, as well as - for Europe - Denmark, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Spain
and Sweden.
The EHF can further nominate another six teams. The
field will be completed by a team from Oceania and two from Pan-America.
14 teams have already been
determined for the women's junior World Championships from the 1st to the
15th of August in Guangzhou, China. These are host China; Korea, Kazakhstan,
Japan and Chinese Taipei (for Asia); Angola and Congo (Africa); Brazil
and Canada (Pan-America); Rumania, Lithuania, Russia, Turkey and Spain
(Europe). A further seven teams from Europe and one Oceanian representative
can qualify.
Overview on the situation:
Men
EGY (1.-15.6.1999)
World Champion: RUS.
Organiser:
EGY.
Europe:
SWE,
ESP, GER, YUG, DEN (+ 5). Asia:
(4).
Africa:
ALG, TUN, NGR,
MAR. Oceania:
AUS. Pan-America:
CUB, ARG, BRA.
Women
NOR (28.11.-12.12.1999)
World Champion: DEN.
Organiser:
NOR.
Asia:(4).
Africa:
(3).
Europe:
(11).
Oceania:
AUS
(1). Pan-America:
(3).
Men's
Junior QAT (22.8.-5.9.1999 Doha)
Organiser: QAT. Asia:
BRN,
KSA, KUW. Africa:
EGY, TUN, ANG, CIV. Oceania: (1).
Pan-America:
(2).
Europe:
DEN,
YUG, HUN, ESP, SWE (+6).
Women's
Junior CHN (1.-15.8.1999 / Guangzhou / Canton)
Organiser: CHN. Asia:
KOR,
KAZ, JPN, TPE.
Africa: ANG, CGO. Oceania: (1). Europe:
ROM,
LTU, RUS, TUR, ESP (+7). Pan-America: BRA, CAN.