Chairman Diaa Rashwan Head of the Information, Research and Internet Sector Dr. Ahmed Abu Zayed Prepared by General Department of th Editing 27 Men’s Handball World Championship Cover design Wissam El Hadidi Global Event on Egyptian Land Maquette & Art Direction January 13-31, 2021 Ashraf Madany Follow-up Supervision Nehad Raafat Translated by Foreign Editing Department English Section Heba Nabil Nesreen Nabeel Ola Gamal Rania Saad Riham Al Wakeel Yosra Gamal English Revision Yousry Ahmed Farag English Proofreading Nesreen Nabeel Executive Supervision Samia Badawy ( 1 ) ( 2 ) Contents Introduction ........................................................................................ 5 Chapter One: World Handball Championship History ....................... 7 Chapter Two: 26 Men’s Handball Championships until 2021 .......... 15 Chapter Three: World Cup 2021....................................................... 37 Chapter Four: Egyptian Preparations to Host the Championship ..... 59 ( 3 ) ( 4 ) Introduction Egypt hosts the 27th Men’s Handball World Championship during the period January 13-31, 2021, with the participation of 32 national teams for the first time. It would be a global sports celebration on the land of Egypt, and the biggest world sports event to be organized with fans presence since the outbreak of Coronavirus pandemic. This poses an additional challenge to the Egyptian and international sports system and shows the world's confidence in Egypt's capabilities to host the championship on its land amidst extraordinary circumstances engulfing the entire world. Egypt has taken on the challenge and has been prepared to host this global event. This reinforces the message spread and entrenched by the Egyptian political leadership among the peoples of the world. This message stresses that social peace, inter-cultural communication and human integration are the only way for all peoples to live in peace and prosperity. These values represent the hope for our children and youth to achieve their dreams and aspirations, and they are also the legacy that we have to leave to this generation and the generations to come. ( 5 ) ( 6 ) Chapter One World Handball Championship History ( 7 ) ( 8 ) Origins and Evolution Historians differ in determining the era when the game of handball appeared. Some considered it a game of Pharaonic origin due to the existence of some archaeological inscriptions that show ancient Egyptians practicing a sport that seems similar to handball. Drawings on the Saqqara tombs in Egypt, dating as far back as 5,000 years, show four girls throwing balls to each other, and indicate the beginnings of handball. Handball-like games appeared in Medieval France, the Eskimo peoples, and in ancient Africa. By the advent of the nineteenth century, many handball-like games appeared in its recent form in many different countries, such as the håndbold game in Denmark. The ball was made of leather and stuffed with straw and plants or papyrus to be light and more durable, and was rarely used in more than one match. By the end of the nineteenth century, handball appeared in its modern shape in Scandinavian countries in addition to Germany. Thanks to the German physical education experts, the game was developed into its current form. In 1898, the Danish "Holger Nielsen" laid down and published the rules of the handball game. In 1906, "Max ( 9 ) Heizer", "Karl Schellens" and "Erik Konai" from Germany published another set of rules concerning the sport of handball. "Heizer" was the person behind the development of "handball" as he wanted to apply an activity within the winter training program for female gymnasts as a kind of warming-up in the cold weather inside the gymnasiums, and to help them at the same time gain the force for jumping that the gymnastic movements require. On October 29, 1917, “Heizer” worked with “Karl Schlenz”, the teacher of physical education in Berlin, to lay down the basic rules of the handball game. These rules were derived from two German games as well as from some football rules. In the same year, matches were held among 8 teams of female gymnasts in the gymnastics hall in Berlin, but the game did not represent competition in terms of rules that forbid running with the ball or attacking a player as soon as she possesses it. This game was not firstly practiced by men, but later on, it found acceptance among male gymnasts, football players and athletics. Men found that the new game was a means of warming up and an interesting activity during training. This acceptance from the German players prompted "Schlenz" to organize matches among men. He also modified some rules so that the game took the form of competition by both allowing the player to attack his/her opponent in case he/she has the ball, and permitting running with the ball. There was a difference in some rules of the game between men and women, as men used to play the game on football pitch, while women played the game on a court with a width of 50-60 m and a length of 70- 80 m. The goal was 5 meters wide and 2.10 high, and in front of the goal there was a circle of 8 meters’ radius. “Schlenz” continued to conduct studies for players as well as leaders from different cities in handball so that each of them could ( 10 ) understand the nature of the game. He also sought the help of Berlin officials to make the game popular in other cities through shows and matches. In 1920, the first competition was held in Berlin, bringing together 10 men's teams, 4 women's teams, and 4 junior teams. In 1921, the first official German handball championship was held in Hanover. In 1926, a committee was elected for the first time to take upon itself to lead the handball game internationally. The game rules were set at the Eighth Congress of the International Athletics Federation held in The Hague, Netherlands. In 1927, the official international rules of handball were established, as until that date, there was still a difference in the rules of the game between men and women. In August 1928, a constituent assembly for the first International Amateur Handball Federation was held during the Olympic Games in Amsterdam. Berlin became the headquarters of the Federation with eleven countries attending the meeting; USA, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Austria, Sweden and Czechoslovakia. These countries were considered the founding members of the International Federation. In 1928, the rules of the game were unified for men and women, with the exception of the playing time (women play twenty minutes in two halves, whereas men play thirty minutes in two halves). The circumference of the ball was reduced from 71 cm to 58 cm; the matter which, technically, helped elevate the level of the game. ( 11 ) In May 1930, at the Second Conference of the International Federation, membership of eight countries was accepted; i.e. Argentina, Egypt, Brazil, Japan, Poland, Romania, Switzerland and Hungary. In 1925, the first international men's handball match was organized, which brought together Germany and Austria. In 1930, the first international women's handball match was held, which brought together the German and Austrian teams. In 1935, the first handball match in a closed hall was held between the Danish and Swiss teams. In 1938, the first international handball championship for men was held, in which 4 countries participated, and ended with the victory of Germany after defeating Austria, Denmark and Sweden. As for the first 11-player tournament, it was held during the period 7-11 July of the same year with the participation of ten teams and ended with the victory of Germany against Switzerland. After that date, activities of the old International Handball Federation ended with the outbreak of World War II on September 1, 1939. During 1939-1944, there was no activity due to the war. ( 12 ) International Handball Federation (IHF) It is the organizing body for Handball, Beach Handball and Wheelchair Handball in the world. IHF is responsible for the organization of handball major tournaments, such as the World Men’s Handball Championship and the World Women’s Handball Championship. IHF was founded in 1946 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Its headquarters is in Basel, Switzerland. Its membership comprises 204 national federations from five continental federations, namely the Asian Handball Federation (AHF), the African Handball Confederation (CAHB), the European Handball Federation (EHF), the Oceania Continent Handball Federation (OCHF) and the Pan-American Team Handball Federation (PATHF). 1. The Asian Handball Federation (AHF) AHF is the governing body of handball and beach handball in Asia. It has 44 member countries, mostly from the Asian continent. AHF was formed officially on August 26, 1974. Its headquarters is located in Kuwait. Its current President is Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al- Jaber Al-Sabah from Kuwait. Official Website: asianhandball.org 2- The African Handball Confederation (CAHB) It was founded in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Its current president is Mansourou Aremou from Benin. It includes 49 countries. ( 13 ) AHF organizes many tournaments, salient of which are the African Men’s Handball Championship, African Women’s Handball Championship, African Men’s Junior Handball Championship, African Women’s Junior Handball Championship, African Men’s Youth Handball Championship, African Women’s Youth Handball Championship, and the Clubs Champions. Official Website: cahbonline.info 3- The European Handball Federation (EHF) EHF was founded in 1991 in Austria. It comprises 52 members. Official Website: eurohandball.com 4- The Pan-American Team Handball Federation (PATHF) PATHF was founded in 1977 in Puerto Rico. It comprises 34 members. Official Website: panamhandball.org 5- Oceania Continent Handball Federation (OCHF) OCHF was founded in 1993 in Australia. It comprises 21 members. Official Website: ochf.org ( 14 ) Chapter Two 26 Men’s Handball Championships until 2021 ( 15 ) ( 16 ) 1st Championship – Germany (February 5-6, 1938) Host City: Berlin.