The Road to London: www.ihf.info starts countdown for Olympic Games

March 05, 2012: Starts Countdown, From 28 July to 12 August the whole world will look to London – when the 2012 Olympic Games are taking place. Currently half of the in total 24 participants of the Men’s and Women’s Olympic Handball Tournaments are known; the rest will follow from 6 to 8 April (Men’s Olympic Qualification Tournament) and 25 to 27 May (Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournament).

But already as from this week the International Handball Federation will start on the road to London – with a special handball-related Olympic countdown.

This series of articles on www.ihf.info includes the history of all Olympic Handball Tournaments since 1936, a presentation of all participating teams, interviews with coaches and players and many more surprises until the Opening Ceremony of London 2012. Aside you can prove your Olympic handball knowledge in a quiz on www.ihf.info. One of those who give the correct answers to these questions can win the official Select Olympic 2012 London handball, used at the Olympic Games. So stay tuned to www.ihf.info in the upcoming weeks and become an expert of Olympic handball.

Men’s Olympic Qualification: Tournaments take place in Gothenburg, Alicante and Varazdin

Six participants of the Men’s Olympic Handball Tournament in London (28 July – 12 August) are already known after the 2011 World Championship and the continental qualification tournaments. The six missing teams will be decided in three Olympic Qualification Tournaments, played from 6 to 8 April (Easter weekend).

Due to the ranking at the 2011 World Championship in Sweden, Spain, Sweden and Croatia are the hosts of those tournaments – and the national handball federations have chosen Alicante (Spain), Gothenburg (Sweden) and Varazdin (Croatia) as the venues for those Olympic Qualification Tournaments.

Spain will face Poland, Serbia and Algeria in Alicante

Sweden will face Hungary, Brazil and FYR Macedonia in Gothenburg

Croatia will face Iceland, Japan and Chile in Varazdin

The two best ranked teams from each of those tournaments will book their tickets for the 2012 Olympic Games. The draw for the Preliminary Rounds will take place in London at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre on Wednesday, 30 May. Further information related to the draw will follow in due time.

During this week the accreditation process for those tournaments will start. You will find all information in due time on www.ihf.info