In a joint event of International Handball Federation (IHF), British Handball Association (BHA) and the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) the groups for the preliminary round of the Men’s and Women’s Olympic Handball Tournaments will be drawn at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre in London on 30 May at 17:30 (local time) – right before the Women’s EHF EURO qualification match Great Britain vs. Montenegro.
While the seeding list for the men’s tournament is already completed, the final decisions for the women’s tournament will be taken in three Olympic Qualification Tournaments (OQT), played from 25 to 27 May in Lyon (France), Guadalajara (Spain) and Aalborg (Denmark). The two best ranked teams from each of those three tournaments will book their tickets to the 2012 Olympic Games.
Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournaments
Tournament 1 (in Lyon): France, Romania, Japan, Montenegro
Tournament 2 (in Guadalajara): Spain, Croatia, Netherlands, Argentina
Tournament 3 (in Aalborg): Denmark, Russia, Tunisia, Dominican Republic
In total twelve men’s and twelve women’s teams participate in the 2012 Olympic Games, and each preliminary round group consists of six teams. The four best ranked teams of those groups qualify for the quarter-finals.
The draw will be conducted by IHF President Dr Hassan Moustafa, Olympics Technical Official Leon Kalin (Chairman of the IHF Commission of Organizing and Competitions), Paul Goodwin, Chief Executive of the British Handball Association and representatives of LOCOG.
Accreditations for national and international media for this tournament can be done via the British Handball Association. Just send an e-mail to [email protected].
In accordance with the IHF Regulations the seeding lists for the preliminary round draw on 30 May in London are the following:
Men’s tournament:
Pot 1: France, Spain
Pot 2: Sweden, Croatia
Pot 3: Iceland, Hungary
Pot 4: Serbia, Great Britain
Pot 5: Denmark, Argentina
Pot 6: Korea, Tunisia
Women’s tournament:
Pot 1: Norway, first ranked team of OQT in Lyon
Pot 2: first ranked team of OQT in Guadalajara, first ranked team of OQT in Aalborg
Pot 3: second ranked team of OQT in Guadalajara, second ranked team of OQT in Aalborg
Pot 4: Great Britain, second ranked team of OQT in Lyon
Pot 5: Sweden, Brazil
Pot 6: Angola, Korea