The only difference with valid handball is that they “roll”, underlines Mathieu, handball player and captain of Elite France. This handchair team was created in 2022, bringing together players from the eighteen clubs in the French championship alone, in the absence of an official selection by the Federation.
The initiative comes from Lyon clubs, UODL Handball and Lyon Métropole Hand Armchair, who wanted to develop the practice at an international level. And thus convince the Federation to have an official team.
They then, on a voluntary basis, organized the only European tournament in France, theEuro Hand 4 All, which will take place on Friday and Saturday in Ecully, near Lyon. The twelve men and women selected will face Portugal, Norway, Spain, Croatia and Belgium.
The opportunity to learn more about the discipline, which is played in a mix of genders and ages, and which is in full search of recognition. Sportsmen and women hope that one day, the wheelchair will be recognized to participate in the Paralympic Games.