Following its introduction to the Youth Olympics programme in 2018, beach handball is also close to its Olympic premiere at senior level as the European Handball Federation is currently negotiating inclusion of beach handball into the programme of the European Olympics 2023 in Krakow and Malopolska region.

At the end of November EHF President Michael Wiederer attended the [online] General Assembly of the European Olympic Committees (EOC), where the provisional programme was of the third edition of the continental Olympics was discussed.

The negotiations and coordination continue also on the fringes of the Women’s EHF EURO 2020 in Denmark as Niels Nygaard, acting president of the European Olympic Committees and president of the Danish NOC, paid a visit to Herning and witnessed the opening victory of Denmark against Montenegro.

“Currently we are in the last phase of our negotiations and coordination activities and if everything goes well, we will sign an agreement here in Denmark before the final weekend,” Wiederer said.

The EHF cooperates with the EOC also in the project of the European Youth Olympic Festival, where handball is already a stable part of the programme since 1997.

The President added: “This will be a big step for beach handball to be part of the Olympic family also on the adult level.

“In the light of the great success IHF had with beach handball at the Summer Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires two years ago, we are now entering the arena and continue in our dream of making beach handball an Olympic sport.”