International Handball Federation bans European teams from playing Russia

The International Handball Federation (IHF) and the European Handball Federation (EHF) have banned European national teams from playing friendly matches with the Russian team. The organizations thus comply with the sanctions against representatives of the aggressor country imposed after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

This is stated on the official website of the Russian Handball Federation (RHF). The Russians complained that they already had agreements to hold several sparring matches with Europeans, but now they have to abandon these plans and play with Belarusians and Chinesem, whom they called weak opponents.

"An agreement was reached to hold sparring games with a number of European teams next season, but at the last minute we were denied with reference to non-admission by the EHF and IHF. Friendly matches with the national team of Belarus are planned, and there is also an agreement to hold a number of matches with the Chinese national team. The level of the opponents does not satisfy the level of the Russian national team, but at the moment we have no other options," the RHF said.

In July of last year, the EHF deprived Russia of the right to host the 2026 European Handball Championship because of Russia's criminal war against Ukraine.

As reported, the English rugby club Gloucester has banned the use of the Russian flag on the uniform of its legionnaire Kirill Gotovtsev in accordance with the sanctions of the World Rugby Federation.

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