(ATR) The first men’s handball world championship to be played in the Middle East is set to open on Thursday.
The home team takes center stage on the opening day of the event as Qatar faces Brazil in Doha. Eleven matches between the remaining 22 teams will take place on Friday.
The event’s 24 teams are divided into four groups of six for the group stage. Top contenders for the title include France, Spain and Denmark.
Three venues will be used during the tournament: Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiya Arena in Al Sadd, Lusail Multipurpose Hall and Duhail Handball Sports Hall.
The tournament champion will become the first of 11 qualifiers to join the field for the Rio 2016 Olympics. The remaining 10 qualifiers will be determined through continental and Olympic qualification tournaments to take place starting in July and culminating in April 2016. Host Brazil is guaranteed a spot to bring the field to 12.
IOC president Thomas Bach is expected in Doha on February 1 to welcome the champions to the Rio field.
Two teams - Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates - previously announced that they would be boycotting the world championships. The moves are assumed to be politically motivated. Both countries, along with Saudi Arabia, pulled their ambassadors out of Doha in March in protest of Qatar’s support for Islamist groups in the region.
The handball championship, for the first time, has both a mascot and an official song.
Fahed, the mascot, symbolizes a six-year old Qatari boy who displays "the hospitality, the friendship, but also the sportive ambitions of Qatar in a highly positive and charming way," tournament director general Thani Abdulrahman al-Kuwari said in a release.
The song, a lively pop anthem called "Live It," has lyrics in English and Arabic and is performed by Qatari singer Fahad Al-Kubaisi. He is joined by member of the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, the Siwar Youth Choir, and 24 musicians from each of the countries participating in the tournament.
Written by Nick Devlin
20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.
Últimas Noticias
Boxing’s place in the Olympics remains in peril as IOC still unhappy with the state of AIBA’s reform efforts
The IOC says issues concerning governance, finance, and refereeing and judging must be sorted out to its satisfaction. AIBA says it’s confident that will happen and the federation will be reinstated.
McLaren report to FIBA confirms abuses in the Mali women’s basketball program
The investigation could not “independently verify” allegations against FIBA president Hamane Niang, who has resumed his duties after stepping aside during the probe.
ATR Extra: 1st ISF U15 World School Sport Games – Belgrade 2021
Olympic Channel is live streaming the basketball, basketball 3x3, football, judo and wrestling competitions during the event, which runs September 11-19.
International Judo Federation bans Algerian athlete and coach for 10 years for refusing to fight an Israeli at Tokyo 2020
Judoka Fethi Nourine and his coach Amar Benikhlef admitted they were withdrawing from competition to avoid a potential match with Tohar Butbul of Israel.
IIHF bans Belarus hockey president for five years for code of conduct violations - Federation Focus
Also: no contested election for next ITTF president; BWF calendar shrinks as event in India cancelled due to pandemic; FISU announces early bids for 2027 and 2029 World University Games
