Draw for Women’s 2012 EURO conducted

The Preliminary Round Groups for the Women’s 2012 EHF EURO in Serbia had been drawn at the EHF Congress in Monaco on Friday evening.

The EHF EURO 2012 will be played from 4 to 16 December in Serbia. After hosting the Men’s EHF EURO 2012, the Serbian Handball Federation was awarded with the organisational right for the women’s flagship event, too, after the Netherlands had withdrawn from the organisation.

The draw was conducted by Jan Tuik, outgoing Chairman of the EHF Competitions Commission, and Tor Lian, outgoing EHF President and Velimir Marjanovic, President of the Serbian Handball Federation.

The Groups for the Preliminary Round:

Group A in Belgrade: Norway, Ukraine, Serbia, Czech Republic

Group B in Nis: Sweden, France , Denmark, FYR Macedonia

Group C in Novi Sad: Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Spain

Group D in Vrsac: Romania, Montenegro, Russia, Iceland

The three best ranked of all Groups will proceed to the Main Round. The top teams of the Groups A and B will face in Belgrade, the three top teams of Groups C and D will play in Novi Sad. The Final weekend will be played in the Belgrade Arena like the Main round before, whilst the Preliminary Round in Belgrade will be staged in the Pionir Arena.

Velimir Marjanovic, President of the Serbian Handball Federation, is looking forward to this event, though his team have tough opponents ahead in the first stage: “It will not be easy, but hosting this EHF EURO is a challenge and an opportunity for the women’s handball in Serbia.

He continued: "I trust the EHF and our Serbian staff and team to host a perfect event. As all our neighbouring nations have qualified for the EHF EURO  so we expect full halls, and we hope for fans from all over Europe, especially from Denmark and  Norway.”

Predrag Boskovic, Chairman of the Montenegro Handball Federation, is pleased that their neighbours are organising the EHF EURO 2012: “A lot of spectators from Montenegro will come, and as we play in Vrsac and then Novi Sad – a region with a lot of Montenegrinian settlers – we will get an additional boost from the stands. But we need this support, as we play in a really tough group – like all in this event. And since years we compete with Russia in every tournament and qualification.”