Actually, things went according to plan for the German national handball team – apart from the somewhat bumpy start in the first tournament game against Belarus. But the interim five-goal deficit was quickly corrected, the supposedly heaviest group opponent was finally beaten with 33:29 goals and the prospects for the upcoming games in the preliminary round against Austria and Poland were pretty great. Which was not necessarily to be expected in view of the “crass upheaval”, as national coach Alfred Gislason had described the rebuilding of the team in advance.
So everything good? Not exactly. The evening before the Austria game on Sunday (6 p.m., live ticker on SZ.de) popped up the report of the corona infection of the German backcourt player Julius Kühn. Kühn of all people, one of the experienced players in the much younger squad, who was one of the most conspicuous players in the win against Belarus. The 28-year-old had taken on a lot of responsibility, projected a goal threat and scored six goals.
Now the obligatory PCR test carried out by the organizer was positive, Kühn immediately said goodbye to isolation. Like all teammates, who immediately went to their rooms and underwent an additional PCR test on Sunday morning at the initiative of the German Handball Federation (DHB). All rapid tests had previously been negative.
The German delegation meticulously followed all hygiene measures and carried out additional tests
In general, the German delegation did everything humanly possible to avoid infections, it said on Sunday. Since the beginning of the preparations at the beginning of the year, the German entourage had strictly adhered to a self-imposed hygiene concept with far-reaching measures – and with great consistency and the necessary luck, according to reports from the German camp, was spared from trouble.
In the team hotel in Bratislava, the DHB blocked its own floors, took its own cook with it and meticulously implemented the specifications of the organizing European Handball Federation (EHF). “We don’t come into contact with anyone during meals, meetings or when we’re staying,” confirmed sports director Axel Kromer. In addition, players and officials refrain from any leisure activities. Of course, contact with other teams cannot be ruled out at a European Championship.
Here’s how it’s done: Hendrik Wagner, who is being instructed by national coach Alfred Gislason here in the friendly against Portugal, is already with the team in Bratislava.
(Photo: Anke Waelischmiller/Sven Simon/Imago)
Coach Gislason had spoken positively about the situation at the venue, he even compared the situation with the meticulous hygiene bubbles at the 2021 World Cup in Egypt and at the Olympic tournament in Tokyo. Nevertheless, such a foreclosure is not planned, according to the EHF hygiene protocol, the current EM is a 2G event for vaccinated or recovered participants.
Above all, the situation at the second venue, Hungary, causes unease, where full spectator capacity is allowed in the three arenas. France’s veteran Nikola Karabatic had bitterly complained about the situation in the team hotel, where the players had to move among normal guests who would not even wear masks. Serbia’s Spanish coach Antoni Gerona criticized a “chaotic organization” on Twitter, while Iceland’s national coach Gudmundur Gudmundsson complained that the safety concept was far too lax. The shielded areas for meals and meetings guaranteed by the EHF simply do not exist.
National coach Gislason has nominated Hendrik Wagner from the second division club Eulen Ludwigshafen
After all, this works in Bratislava, says Kromer, and in the halls only 25 percent capacity is allowed. Before the Germans, other teams had already been shaken up by Corona cases, group opponents Poland, who are staying in the same hotel, had to start the tournament without five infected regular players – still won against Austria 36:31. The Croatians, on the other hand, lost their opener against France without their two playmakers and top players Luka Cindric and Domagoj Duvnjak. And it can be assumed that there will be further infections. In view of this danger, the EHF had already reduced the quarantine period for infected players from 14 to five days before the start of the tournament, so Julius Kühn, who is already boosted and symptom-free and is now in a quarantine hotel, could also find himself with two negative PCR results test free
However, he could return to the tournament in the main round at the earliest, until then coach Alfred Gislason has nominated Hendrik Wagner from the second division club Eulen Ludwigshafen. The 24-year-old has completed all the pre-season and is already with the team, but has not yet been called up for the game against Austria.