EHF shifted and sharply reduced in the quarantine period during the European Handball Championship. Now a player can return to the match only five days after a positive test. Christian Berg is optimistic about the news. The national team manager regrets Norway’s late withdrawal from the match against Denmark.
“I think if people are healthy and able to test themselves to get out of it, it’s good to play,” Christian Berg tells VG.
A prerequisite for UEFA is that the person concerned can refer to two negative PCR tests at least 24 hours apart in the same tournament. Norway national team doctor Thomas Torgalsen confirms the information to VG.
There has been talk of up to 14 days of quarantine for players with coronavirus in the European Championships. Then in practice the tournament will be over. Denmark goalkeeper Jannik Green tested positive on Monday.
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This led to Norway’s 22.50 night withdrawal from Thursday’s scheduled warm-up match against Denmark less than a day later.
Morten Henriksen, Danes’ sporting director, said he was “completely disturbed” by the latest message Danish TV 2.
– We’re sorry it came a little late, says Berg who still sits “with a sense of understanding on Denmark’s part even though it blew up a bit today”.
The decision was made after numerous discussions in the Norwegian team. Both with the health team and the players. Sander Sagosin and between five and ten players who have experience with Corona. Denmark goalkeeper Jannik Green tested positive on Monday.
– We made an assessment regarding the risk of losing players in the European Championships with the quarantine rules that were such. A very difficult situation with dire consequences. The danger is there. It’s not great, but we know that there is an injury in the Danish national team. Other players and coaches have struggled that it took four to five days before the infection entered the team, explains Christian Berg, who must train without key players at the upcoming European Championship:
Norway and Denmark have now reached an agreement to take the agreed public test for the European Championship on Saturday if there are no positive tests in either team.
National team doctor Thomas Torgalsen believes it makes sense to cut short the quarantine period for European Championship players. Danmarks Green will now play in the European Championships next week if his test result is negative before he leaves the tournament in Hungary and Slovakia and after his arrival.
– I think it makes sense. This is not a major medical problem in this age group with healthy people in their 20s, Torgalsen tells VG.
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Croatia’s biggest stars, Domagoj Duvnjak and Luka Cindric, can now reach the start of the European Championship after positive tests. Sweden, Montenegro, Slovenia, Serbia and France have also registered one or more officially confirmed cases before the start of the European Championships next Thursday.
In addition, Slovakia, Norway’s first opponent in the European Championship, was infected with the Corona virus. Three close contacts have been placed in quarantine. So Slovaks also canceled Thursday’s special match against Austria in Vienna.
– We can’t do anything with the other teams. The most important thing for us, Berg says, is that we keep doing our job and stick to the limitations.
But despite the cancellation, Berg is very happy a week before the opening of the European Championship against Slovakia in Kosice. The band has been regrouping since January 2.
We have the best group in a very long time. Insanely good exercises. Nice increase in gameplay. It goes faster and with more pressure. The national team manager said after the first days in Copenhagen that the players were very focused.
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