In addition to the 2034 World Cup, Saudi Arabia also wants to host the Handball World Cup. However, the German Handball Association makes it clear that Riyadh must meet certain conditions for this to happen.
the essentials in brief
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Saudi Arabia wants the Handball World Cup to take place in its own country in 2029 or 2031.
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The German Handball Association (DHB) can also imagine this – but only under certain conditions.
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According to the DHB, there have previously been deterrent examples in comparable host countries
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Saudi Arabia is investing billions and billions in sports. Soccer stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar are already hunting for goals there. After all, in the country of bubbling oil wells on the Persian Gulf, money doesn’t seem to play a role. The awarding of the 2034 World Cup to Riyadh is also considered almost certain. Now the Saudis are also targeting the Handball World Cup and want to host the tournament in 2029 or 2031.
Andreas Michelmann, the President of the German Handball Association, is not opposed to this idea in principle, but would only accept a Handball World Cup in Saudi Arabia under certain conditions.
“One demand could be that women are allowed to play handball in a country like Saudi Arabia with the same level of naturalness as men. And if possible, in sportswear. And if these demands are not met, there must be consequences,” said Andreas Michelmann the “Mannheimer Morgen” and made it clear: “We are not the world association and can only make demands.”
Saudi Arabia criticized for “sportswashing”.
For Michelmann, a World Cup in Saudi Arabia could also be an opportunity for social change in the host country. “Unfortunately, in the past, this opportunity has been taken too rarely or not at all in almost all sports. Because, with all due respect, it must also be possible to openly address things that we dislike,” said the 64-year-old sports official.
Saudi Arabia is heavily criticized for human rights violations. According to Amnesty International, 100 people were executed there in 2023 alone. The country is accused of wanting to polish up its image with billions of dollars invested in sport, the so-called “sportswashing”.
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Sources used:
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dpa news agency
2023-11-23 07:02:15
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