Ball design revealed for EHF EURO 2022
For the 6th consecutive EHF EURO event since the Women’s EHF EURO 2016, the final tournament’s match ball is presented by the EHF’s premium partner, Danish ball manufacturer SELECT Sport.
The 'Ultimate iBall' saw the light of day at Thursday’s draw event and will eventually star in all 65 matches at the Men’s EHF EURO 2022, played in Hungary and Slovakia from 13 to 30 January next year.
The ball has been exclusively designed for the championship. With elements in dark and light blue as well as in green and red it features the European Handball Federation's primary colour as well as those which are dominant in the host nations’ flags.
With the EHF's ongoing partnership with KINEXON for the EHF EURO events, this SELECT Ultimate iBall has a built-in chip that tracks and distributes data in real-time: Shot detection, exact ball speed and position of the shot is captured, used and displayed on the EHF's owned and operated channels as well as on TV and brings fans and spectators closer to the game.
On EHF EURO level, the SELECT Ultimate iBall premiered at the final weekend of the Women’s EHF EURO 2018 and has since been used at the Men’s and Women’s EHF EURO 2020.
The ball is made of extremely hardwearing synthetic leather material. A zero-wing bladder inside the ball ensures optimal roundness.
The specially developed ‘shark skin foam’ gives the ball an extremely soft feel and excellent grip. The ball is light and lively, but above all its constant balance ensures that there are no random bounces.
CEO of SELECT Sport, Peter Knap, said: “This is a fantastic ball with excellent qualities proven in play at numerous European Championships and in top handball leagues. The official match ball incorporates the colours of the Men’s EHF EURO 2022 logo, which is inspired by the national colours of Hungary and Slovakia. We have been developing handballs for more than 70 years, so we are able to ensure top quality when it comes to material and innovative solutions – just like with this Ultimate iBall.”
