“This Is Pure Discrimination”: Belarus Handball Coach Calls Out Europe’s Ban

“This is pure discrimination.”

That’s how Olympic champion and head coach of the Belarus national handball team Yuri Shevtsov described the European Handball Federation’s decision to keep Belarusian players out of international competitions — even after both the International Olympic Committee and the International Handball Federation cleared them to compete.

“The International Committee allowed us. The Olympic Committee allowed us,” Shevtsov said. “The problem is in Europe. The bulk of handball is Europe. The strongest clubs, the strongest teams, the strongest national squads are all here. There are a few countries that are against us taking part. And Europe still won’t make the decision, because it’s afraid those countries might then be barred themselves.”

He sees the double standard clearly: “I believe this is discrimination, plain and simple. Why can’t they be kept out of international competitions, but we can? That’s the situation right now, and Europe doesn’t know how to resolve it.”

While the political game continues, the Belarus team is holding a training camp at the Handball House. The camp wraps up this Sunday, August 16.