Israeli Handball Chief Meets Serbian Counterpart to Restore International Games
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
Idan Mizrahi, Chairman of the Israeli Handball Association, met with Serbian Handball Federation Chairman Bozidar Djurkovic in Serbia to discuss bringing international matches back to Israel. Djurkovic pledged support for Mizrahi's efforts to restore hosting rights, citing a strong connection to Israel. The meeting also covered expanding bilateral cooperation and developing Israeli handball. Mizrahi aims to have Israel host the final European Championship qualifiers in May.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israeli Handball Association Chairman Idan Mizrahi met with Serbian counterpart Bozidar Djurkovic in Serbia.
- The primary goal of the meeting was to bring international handball games back to Israel.
- Djurkovic expressed strong support for Israel and pledged assistance in restoring hosting rights.
- Discussions also included expanding cooperation between the two handball federations.
- Mizrahi hopes to host the final European Championship qualifiers in Israel in May.
- Seven Israeli teams are currently competing in European tournaments despite challenges.
Idan Mizrahi, Chairman of the Israeli Handball Association, met with Bozidar Djurkovic, Chairman of the Serbian Handball Federation and a prominent international figure, in Serbia. The meeting focused on efforts to bring international handball matches back to Israel, strengthen bilateral cooperation, and enhance the standing of Israeli handball in Europe and globally.
Mizrahi traveled to Serbia as part of a visit with the Maccabi Rishon LeZion team, which was scheduled to compete in the EHF European Cup. He was joined at a celebratory lunch by Arik Alkalai, Chairman of Maccabi Rishon LeZion, and Amir Aharon, a board member of the Israeli Handball Association. The Israeli delegation received a warm reception.
During the discussions, Mizrahi emphasized the critical importance of hosting international games in Israel for both national teams and clubs, requesting Djurkovic's support in advocating for this with influential European and global handball bodies. Djurkovic expressed his support for Israel, noting a recent visit and a strong personal connection to the country. He pledged to assist as much as possible and expressed hope for the swift return of international matches to Israel.
The officials also discussed expanding cooperation between the two federations, including friendly matches between national teams, joint training camps, professional collaboration for men's and women's teams, and developing future talent. Mizrahi presented Djurkovic with a special token of appreciation from the Israeli Handball Association and invited him for an official visit to Israel.
Mizrahi stated that bringing international games back to Israel has been a primary goal since he took office 18 months ago. He recalled that games were previously hosted in Israel but had to be moved abroad again due to renewed conflict. He highlighted a recent agreement with the Slovenian Federation to swap home and away game order, potentially allowing Israel to host the final two European Championship qualifiers in May. Mizrahi expressed confidence in the national team and the goal of qualifying for the 2028 European Championship, emphasizing the strong international network built to support these efforts. He also noted that seven Israeli teams are currently competing in European tournaments despite logistical challenges and the need to host games outside Israel.
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