With the Tokyo Handball Qualification 2020 just around the corner, changes in the women’s tournaments have been announced. 

Tournament 2: Withdrawal of PR of China

Due to ongoing COVID-19 travel restrictions and regulations, PR of China have withdrawn from the Tokyo Handball Qualification 2020 – Women’s Tournament 2.

Kazakhstan (from Tournament 3) replace PR of China in Tournament 2 as the next best-ranked Asian nation based on the 2019 AHF Women’s Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament final ranking. Tournament 2 will now consist of the following teams: Russia, Serbia, Kazakhstan and Hungary.

Tournament 3 to be played with three teams

As a result of Kazakhstan moving to Tournament 2, the next best-ranked teams from the 2019 AHF Women’s Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament were invited to participate in Tournament 3, alongside Norway, Montenegro and Romania. 

The first replacement nation Hong Kong (fifth rank) informed the International Handball Federation that a participation would not be possible. The second replacement nation Thailand (sixth rank) did not reply within the given deadline.

Since no further substitute nation from Asia is available, as only six nations took part in the qualification event, Tournament 3 will be played with three teams only.

Click here for more information on the Tokyo Handball Qualification 2020 – Women’s Tournaments.