2015 Men's Handball World Championship - Doha & Lusail / Qatar - 1/15

  • I must say I see such situation first time ever in NT zone.

    Qatar has contracted former Stars from Europe for the WCH and will play in the Final !

    I can understand in Club zone but National Team..

  • I must say I see such situation first time ever in NT zone.

    Qatar has contracted former Stars from Europe for the WCH and will play in the Final !

    I can understand in Club zone but National Team..


    Only stars in Qatar team are GK Šarić and coach Rivera. Except Šarić none of these players had important role in any major club in Europe

  • Polish media said a few former Stars from Europe.

    In last 2013 WCH Qatar was 20.

    Amazing progress or Walls help?

  • We still have no host for the Volleyball Wch 2018. I would bet on Qatar, anyone else? The temptation to follow the money is just too big for Graca and company.....


    Then, we might wittness the same circus then as it is just happening at the handball wch:


    • qualified team getting excluded (australia)
    • not qualified team (germany) is getting wild card
    • sheikhs, buying a national team
    • sheikhs, buying supporters (from spain)
    • controversial referee decisions in favor of the host
    • empty halls
    • ......
  • I was cheering for Poland but they simply didn't meet expectations. Match vs Croatia mentally drained them. GK's were extremly poor, 1 save in 30 in 1st half... what did you expect, Poland's comfortable win with less than 10 GK's saves... be realistic, Qatar deserved win.


    Regarding "buying" players... They didnt do anything against the rules, Qatar has money, money runs the world, who cares about morale anymore (I do but in profi sport players are looking to earn as much as possible). Once again ONLY star in Qatar is Šarić. Others are bunch of mediocre players but they have great coach, Rivera.


    Empty halls? Who cares?

  • I was cheering for Poland but they simply didn't meet expectations. Match vs Croatia mentally drained them. GK's were extremly poor, 1 save in 30 in 1st half... what did you expect, Poland's comfortable win with less than 10 GK's saves... be realistic, Qatar deserved win.


    Regarding "buying" players... They didnt do anything against the rules, Qatar has money, money runs the world, who cares about morale anymore (I do but in profi sport players are looking to earn as much as possible). Once again ONLY star in Qatar is Šarić. Others are bunch of mediocre players but they have great coach, Rivera.


    Empty halls? Who cares?


    No, Qatar federation of course did not do anything "illegal". They acted within the rules, but i don't have to like these rules. I don't blame the players as well. They are not footballers, who don't have to care about earning a million more or less.


    Regarding the empty halls: Of course i would care if the most important tournament of my favourite sport would be played in such a sad environment. But maybe i just haven't reached your level of fatalism yet. 8)


    There are still a lot of other reasons which make me dislike the way the guys over there throw around their money but maybe thats not the place here to go deeper into this.....

  • IHF needs to do what FIVB did and limit the number of nationalized players per team. This is not exactly a new development, Austria was doing it in women's handball for almost 20 years, but Qatar has taken it to an extreme and made it a total farce.

  • I could easily picture Qatar buying players currently unattached to any NT and becoming a powerhouse in Volleyball. Imagine Kaziyski, Simon, León, Juantorena, etc if they did that just for Club WC why not for olympics too?

  • I think won't be changes because President of IHF is from Qatar, Bahrajn or Jordania so..

  • Can't see how cash can't hurt you gaining favors. :wall:


    Looking at the roster. 18 players, 7 with non Arabic last names. Are they hired guns, I would think so.


    4 wins by 2 goals, for the best team in Asia?


    Against Slovenia, 1 goal match, then a 2 minute penalty against Slovenia within 2 minutes of play remaining. Qatar scores 2 while on the advantage
    Against Austria, 1 goal match, 4 seconds after a goal is scored to give Qatar the 1 goal lead, a 2 minute penalty against Austria. Austria get called for an offensive foul while a man down. Qatar scores 1 while on the advantage.
    Against Germany, 2 goal match with 5 minutes to go, German offensive foul and an illegal pass, while no goals are scored


    Hoping France do the job, with the referees against them.


    The biggest difference with the Iranian volleyball team at the World Championships last year and this handball team was that the Iranians improved on their own (excluding foreign coach of course). Qatar had to go outside and bring people to play for them. If Qatar, wins the sport will lose.


    Qatar Dirty Game

  • After Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament..

    Qatar won the Tournament.

    Curious if Qatar has bought, as for WCH, Players from abroad for the AOQT?

    Can Qatar play with many Foreigners during Olympic Games?

    So far in OG is Brazil, France, Argentina and Qatar.