Spain 2021: Asian qualification update; PR of China receive Wild Card

23 Sep. 2021

Spain 2021: Asian qualification update; PR of China receive Wild Card

The International Handball Federation (IHF) has announced that the People’s Republic of China have been granted a Wild Card entry for the 2021 IHF Women’s World Championship, set to take place this December in Spain.

A total of six (6) continental qualification places for Asia were due to be allocated from the 2021 AHF Women’s Asian Championship, currently taking place in Jordan. The six places consisted of four (4) compulsory places, plus two (2) performance places in accordance with the Regulations for IHF Competitions.

However, a variety of issues related to COVID-19 and the competition organsiation presented themselves in a short period of time. Even though the Asian Handball Federation (AHF) worked tirelessly to initially ensure that 12 teams would be present to confirm the six (6) continental qualification places in accordance with Chapter 2, Article 1.1.3 point b of the Regulations for IHF Competitions, the Asian qualification event is currently held with eleven (11) teams instead of the required 12. 

Therefore, according to the Regulations, five (5) places instead of six (6) are available from the 2021 AHF Women’s Asian Championship.

These five teams will be those who finish in the top five ranking positions of the 2021 AHF Women’s Asian Championship, which concludes on Saturday 25 September.

In light of this unprecedented set of circumstances, considered a ‘force majeure’, the IHF Council acknowledged the work of the AHF, and, after taking into consideration the performance level of the national teams from Asia, the importance of the development of handball in Asia and the ongoing success of the New Markets’ Project in China, China were granted a Wild Card place.

Poland, originally granted a Wild Card spot, are now considered as first substitute nation of the Continental Confederation of Europe, in accordance with Chapter 2, Article 1.1.3 point d. 

Due to the fact that the draw event for Spain 2021 has already taken place, China will be assigned into Group H on the position of Asia 6 and Poland will remain in Group B.