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Flensburg's Gøran Johannessen (left) in the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain
Photo:
BEAUTIFUL SPORTS / Mario M. Koberg / imago images / Beautiful Sports
Several German handball clubs have international games rated against themselves after they were canceled due to the corona restrictions.
As the European Handball Federation (EHF) announced, three Champions League games of SG Flensburg-Handewitt and THW Kiel will each be rated with 0: 2 points and 0:10 goals.
Both Bundesliga clubs could not play in these games because of the quarantine regulations.
According to the EHF decision, the clubs are punished according to the »polluter pays principle«.
Accordingly, they are made responsible for the failure through appropriate travel and quarantine regulations, although the regulations were made by the responsible health department and the state government.
The decision was made because the games can no longer be rescheduled due to the corona crisis.
A corresponding deadline for catch-up games passed on Friday.
The Flensburg team lost their games at FC Porto and against HC Vardar Skopje.
The reigning Champions League winner Kiel lost the game at HC Motor Zaporozhye.
The European League games of the Füchse Berlin at Sporting Lisbon and Tatran Presov as well as the game of the Rhein-Neckar Löwen at HC Pelister Bitola were rated against the German teams.
Flensburg did not receive any "internal advance information"
Those responsible from Flensburg reacted angrily.
»I am incredibly pissed off and disappointed that we were informed about the rating of the failed games via a press release without internal prior information.
I am more than disappointed with this approach and the lack of dialogue, «said managing director Dierk Schmäschke.
Coach Maik Machulla said that once again it could be seen »how the EHF deals with the clubs without proper dialogue.
We played the best preliminary round in the club's history.
In the end it can happen that we slip to third place, even though we deserve our performance to skip the round of 16. "
After a mode change, all 16 teams of the two groups qualify for the knockout round, but there the placements from the group phase decide on potentially stronger or weaker opponents.
Despite the ratings, Flensburg still has a chance of first place in Group A, defending champion Kiel fell back to fifth in Group B.
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hba / dpa / sid