After Hoyvík’s H71 women’s team lost their European Cup quarter final match against Ukrainian team HC Galychanka Lviv 26-27, the second quarter final match has now been declared a win in favor of the Ukranian team as well.
The first quarter final between the two teams was originally scheduled for February 13th in Lviv, Ukraine, however, after the Danish Ministry of Foreign affairs advised its citizens against traveling to Ukraine due to the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, H71 decided not to go against the government’s advice.
Attempts were made to arrange a new match in Poland, on so-called neutral ground, or to have the match in Tórshavn be the only match, but an agreement could not be reached on either of those alternatives, hence the decision went to European Handball Federation and the Court of Handball.
On Friday a decision was made that means H71 will lose the match 0:10, announced on the EHF website in a statement that read as follows:
“In the EHF European Cup Women, the second leg of the quarter-final encounter, HC Galychanka Lviv (UKR) vs H71 (FAR) was not played as scheduled on 13 February. In a decision on Friday, the Court of Handball ruled that the match will be assessed with 10:0 goals and 2:0 points for the Ukrainian team. HC Galychanka Lviv advance to the semi-finals and the team has expressed its readiness to play their home leg of the semi-finals against Rocasa Gran Canaria (ESP) in the Czech Republic.”
In addition to losing the match, H71 will also be fined 52,000 DKK, if any similar “missteps” are made within the next two years, as per the sentence.
H71 chair Anna Dam told broadcaster KvF that the team is “very disappointed” with the decision and the lack of understanding on the EHF’s part. H71 will likely appeal the decision, we’re told.
