The overview on competition structures also includes earlier decisions, as it is currently organisationally impossible for some teams from Ukraine, i.e. for EHF Champions League Men club HC Motor from Zaporozhye, to participate in European handball matches.
Furthermore, matches featuring Ukrainian teams, which can be played, will take place on neutral ground.
The EHF decision has followed these main principles
- Matches which have been played remain as they are with all results confirmed
- Competition phases which have been completed remain untouched
- Matches, which feature Russian or Belarusian teams and are subsequently not played, are validated with 2:0 and 10:0 goals for the respective opposing club or national team
- The European Handball Federation abstains from initiating legal procedures regarding matches and teams concerned on the basis of the decisions taken
"The EHF’s aim was to preserve the existing playing systems without major adaptations," says EHF Chief Sports Officer Markus Glaser.
"As much as possible we also aimed to implement fair and consistent procedures, as the sanctions imposed and the handball season calendar, in which several of our competitions have already reached a decisive stage, left us with little room for different options."
EHF Champions League Men
Two remaining matches of HC Meshkov Brest (BLR) – against HC Vardar 1961 and THW Kiel – are validated with 10:0 goals and 2:0 points for the opposing clubs.
Three remaining matches of HC Motor (UKR) – against Barça, Paris Saint-Germain Handball and FC Porto – are validated with 10:0 goals and 2:0 points for the opposing clubs.
This decision was taken, as HC Motor had informed the EHF earlier that in the current situation it is impossible for the club to play those matches.
There is one round left to play in the group phase which will decide the final standings and the pairings for the knockout rounds.
EHF Champions League Women
In the play-offs, the matches between CSM Bucuresti (ROU) and CSKA (RUS) will not be played and validated as described. CSM Bucuresti advance to the quarter-finals.
In the quarter-finals, the tie featuring Rostov-Don (RUS) will not be played and validated as described. This means that the winning team of the play-off tie, BV Borussia 09 Dortmund vs Metz Handball, will advance to the EHF FINAL4.
EHF European League Men
Two remaining matches of Chekhovskie medvedi (RUS) – against HBC Nantes and Cocks – will be validated with 10:0 goals and 2:0 points for the opposing clubs.
There is one round left to play in the group phase which will decide on the final standings and the pairings for the knockout rounds.
EHF European Cup Men
The quarter-finals HC Victor (RUS) vs CS Minaur Baia Mare (ROU) and SKA Minsk (BLR) vs Naerbo IL (NOR) will not be played and validated as described. CS Minaur Baia Mare and Naerbo IL advance to the semi-finals.
EHF European Cup Women
In the EHF European Cup Women, the second leg of the quarter-final encounter, HC Galychanka Lviv (UKR) vs H71 (FAR) was not played as scheduled on 13 February. In a decision on Friday, the Court of Handball ruled that the match will be assessed with 10:0 goals and 2:0 points for the Ukrainian team.
HC Galychanka Lviv advance to the semi-finals and the team has expressed its readiness to play their home leg of the semi-finals against Rocasa Gran Canaria (ESP) in the Czech Republic.
Women’s EHF EURO 2022 Qualifiers
The remaining matches of the teams from Russia (against Poland (2x), Lithuania and Switzerland), and Belarus (against Greece (2x), Netherlands and Germany) will not be played. These matches will be validated with 10:0 goals and 2:0 points for the opposing national teams.
There are three rounds left to play in the Qualifiers which will decide on the teams qualifying for the Women’s EHF EURO 2022.
In the case either Russia or Belarus finish the Qualifiers still ranked on a position which would qualify them for the Women’s EHF EURO 2022, they would be replaced by the next team following in the respective group’s ranking.
Men’s World Championship 2023 Play-offs Phase 1 & 2
The phase 1 play-off matches between Faroe Islands and Belarus will not be played and validated as described. Faroe Islands advance to the phase 2 play-offs in which they will face Germany.
The phase 2 play-offs featuring Russia will not be played and validated as described. The winning team of the phase 1 play-off between Slovakia and Belgium will therefore qualify for the Men’s World Championship 2023.
Men's EHF EURO 2024 qualifiers
Russia and Belarus will not participate in the final stage of qualifiers for the Men's EHF EURO 2024 and will be replaced by Georgia and Luxembourg. Georgia and Luxembourg were defeated in their respective ties in the relegation round, but topped the ranking of teams in this same position to be determined as the replacements.
The European Handball Federation regrets the consequences for individuals, clubs and national teams and hopes that a return of peace will allow for renewed considerations.
