“The 2012 London Olympic Games were fantastic”

The IHF is fully satisfied with the 2012 London Olympic Games – this is the clear message after first analyses of the organization, the number of spectators and the sporting level of performances. The IHF is proud to announce in close cooperation with LOCOG and Alex Gavrilovic, who did a great job as organizer of the Olympic Handball Tournaments, that all available tickets were sold, that more than 95% of all seats in both handball venues were occupied, and that the atmosphere in both venues was remarkably brilliant.

An unexpected huge number of media covered handball, which underlines the worldwide and especially the British interest in our sport.

The IHF hopes for a legacy in Great Britain, as IHF President Dr Hassan Moustafa commented on the 2012 Olympic Games:

“The 2012 London Olympic Games were fantastic and handball made a major contribution to its success. Since the 2012 Olympic Games handball hasn’t been just a marginal sport in Great Britain anymore. We had full halls and great audience. People were talking about handball everywhere no matter if in the tube, the Olympic Park or in the streets.”

“We already started our analyses during the Games and found out that the level at the London 2012 Olympic Games was considerably higher than in Beijing. We now hope that the 7,000-seat Copper Box will be used as a handball hall in the long-term after the Games. In doing so, we hope to advance the development of handball.”

“My personal highlight at the London 2012 Olympic Games was definitely the audience in the Copper Box and later in the Basketball Arena. It is fantastic that the hall was sold out in the morning of a working day, especially as the great atmosphere lasted although people knew that Great Britain would lose. It was a great experience for all of us.” —- IHF