Twelve women’s teams will compete at the Handball Tournament of the 2012 London Olympic Games – and the current World Championship in Brazil mark a huge step towards the composition of the tournament. But it is not only a long and winding road to London, but also a tricky way with a lot of “ifs” and “buts”. This is the current status of the Olympics and the three Olympic Qualification Tournaments, each played with four teams from 25 to 27 May 2012.

1. Already directly qualified teams:

Great Britain (host), Norway (EHF EURO Champions), Korea (winner of the Asian Olympic qualification), Brazil (winner of the Pan American Olympic qualification).

2. Teams to qualify directly in future:

World Champion (decided on 18 December), African Champion (decided on 22 January 2012)

After the eight-finals of the World Championship are over, all six places for the Olympic Qualification Tournaments will have already been allocated, but not directly to nations (depending on their final ranking), but to the numbers. As Norway and Brazil are among the top eight and the World Champion takes a direct ticket, all other quarter-finalists are already qualified for those tournaments (or directly qualified for London, if they become World Champions): Russia, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Angola and France. The sixth ticket goes to Sweden as ninth ranked team.

Now it is getting tricky: Every continent has an allocated place for those tournaments: Japan represents Asia as runners-up of the Olympic qualification, Argentina represents Pan America as runners-up of the Olympic qualification, Romania represents Europe as Bronze medallist of the EHF EURO 2010 – and the African participant will be decided in January.

The two best continents of the World Championship in Brazil each receive an additional place in those tournaments: If (expectedly) Europe is among those two continents, Montenegro is qualified for the Olympic Qualification Tournament (ranked sixth at the EHF EURO 2012). In only one case – Brazil faces Angola in the final – Europe will have only one allocated place. If Pan America is among those two continents, Dominican Republic (ranked third at the Pan American Olympic qualification) is qualified – and if Africa is among those two continents the third ranked team of the African Championship will qualify for those three tournaments.

And there are even more exceptions:

If Angola (quarter-finalist in Brazil) will become African Champion in January, Montenegro is qualified for the Olympic Qualification Tournaments not due to their ranking at the EHF EURO 2010, but as tenth ranked team in Brazil. Then the second European ticket to those tournaments would be awarded to the Netherlands as eighth ranked team of the EHF EURO 2010.

If Norway becomes World Champion, Sweden (runners-up of EHF EURO 2010) is directly qualified for London. If Brazil becomes World Champion, Argentina is directly qualified for the Olympic Games. If Angola becomes World Champion and later-on African Champion, the runners-up of the African Championship is directly qualified for London.