Winger Benoît Kounkoud and goalkeeper Rémi Desbonnet, excluded from the preparation course of the French handball team for Euro-2022 (January 13-30) due to positive Covid-19 tests, have found the Blues , the Federation (FFHB) announced on Tuesday.
At the end of their period of isolation and after two negative tests, they "received the green light from the medical staff this Tuesday evening, to find their partners", indicates the FFHB in a press release.
Three reinforcements, also subjected to two tests, including the second on site at the Maison du handball de Créteil with an isolation procedure pending the result, bring the number of staff available for training to 18 elements.
The new arrivals are left wing Raphaël Caucheteux (Saint-Raphaël) and Mathieu Grebille (PSG) as well as center-half Nicolas Claire (Aix-en-Provence).
Nikola Karabatic's condition improves
The three-time Olympic champion and French handball star Nikola Karabatic, infected with the coronavirus, is still absent.
"Things are getting better," his brother Luka said on videoconference on Tuesday.
He had two or three rather difficult days with quite a few symptoms and was quite tired (...).
I think the hardest part is over and it's getting better.
"
Affected him in the left thigh (a "low grade muscle injury to the quadriceps") and absent in the last three games of PSG, the vice-captain of the Blues said he felt "much better".
“I am really in the terminal phase [of convalescence], assured Luka Karabatic.
I am practically practicing normally with the others.
There are still a few small adaptations but it's going its way.
It is in the right direction.
"
The Blues, Olympic champions in Tokyo this summer, hope to imitate their predecessors of the Experts who won the international tournament after their 2008 Olympic coronation, namely the 2009 World Cup.