An archive photo
MINSK, 4 December (BelTA) – The International Handball Federation (IHF) plans to reinstate the national teams of Belarus and Russia in IHF events in 2026. This is stated in a letter from the IHF president to the Belarusian Handball Federation, BelTA has learned.
Addressing Chairman of the Belarusian Handball Federation Vladimir Konoplev, IHF President Hassan Moustafa noted that the ban on participation in competitions remains in force, but the IHF continues to work on bringing the national teams of Belarus and Russia back to the international stage, which could happen as early as 2026.
The IHF president also expressed regret over the cancellation of the Belarusian women’s national team’s participation in the Green March international tournament in Morocco in early November. The Belarusian team was scheduled to depart for Morocco on 31 October, but less than 24 hours before the trip, the tournament organizers sent a notification stating that the Belarusian national team could not take part in the tournament due to a ban from the International Handball Federation.
Hassan Moustafa also emphasized that he highly values the patience of the Belarusian side, which, despite the existing restrictions, continues to cooperate with the IHF, allowing work on the final stages of reintegration into international competitions. Belarusian and Russian handball players have been suspended from international tournaments since the beginning of March 2024.
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