While France is going from restriction to restriction in an attempt to limit the spread of the Omicron variant, Hungary seems far removed from these considerations. Rightly or wrongly, depending on your point of view. Thus, after having had to observe very strict protocols within the House of Handball, the Blues, who even had to give Créteil their captain Valentin Porte the time that this one presents a negative test (which was the case this Tuesday morning), did not expect a welcome if… relaxed in their hotel in Szeged, where they will play the first round of the Euro from Thursday against Croatia (8:30 pm).
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We were stunned, not to say shocked by the conditions in which the competition is presented
," said Nikola Karabatic. “
We followed strict protocols to not catch the Covid and we arrive here at the hotel among clients who are not masked. We eat in the same places as other customers. We impose a lot of restrictions on ourselves to protect ourselves and here the conditions are surprising to say the least.
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An opinion corroborated by his teammate, Vincent Gérard: “
This is sure to change from our last two competitions (in Egypt and Tokyo) where we were in very secure conditions.
There when we arrive and see people going in swimsuits at the hotel pool without masks or anything, it comes as a shock.
Level health protocol, it is to say the least different.
We try very hard not to test positive and we thought it was a weird situation.
And without wanting to argue, I'm not sure it's very respectful for the players and staff who sweat blood and water to arrive in good conditions.
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“We have the impression that all the upstream work is a little harmed by the organization on site. "
Guillaume Gille, coach of the French handball team
Concerning the staff, Guillaume Gille appeared very annoyed by the situation, with the hope that it will evolve quickly: “
It is a big gap between the very strict protocol of the EHF which required the greatest vigilance and the arrived in a country that experiences the Covid in a very different way.
And the EHF obviously did not see fit to impose the same standards everywhere.
We get the impression that all the upstream work is a bit harmed by the on-site organization.
I hope that our feedback to the organizers will make it possible to regulate this quickly because such a large gap is not acceptable.
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A health context which did not however unsettle Kentin Mahé, who plays for a club in Hungary, on the side of Veszprem: “
Knowing Hungary, I am not surprised. We know that the Hungarian government takes decisions later than some of its neighbors. Why ? I don't know, I'm not a politician. But it's something that doesn't surprise me to be honest.
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No gauge in Hungary
For the Blues, this installation in Hungary therefore had the scent of pre-Covid life, to which Nikola Karabatic aspires, while being realistic: "
We would prefer, like everyone else I think, to return to a normal situation. But I don't know when that will be possible. Obviously, it's complicated to prepare in a bubble, to spend Christmas or New Year with your family, having in mind the fear of catching the Covid and potentially missing the Euro. It's not easy to have to be careful everything, as it had been the case before the Olympics. Now, as I said before, we are not the most to be pitied.
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The only good news in all of this is that the theaters could be full on this Euro in Hungary (not in Slovakia, on the other hand, the co-organizing country where a 25% gauge has been set).
What to rejoice a Vincent Gérard who is nevertheless wary: “
We are necessarily happy to play in potentially full rooms.
It is the very essence of our sport.
But at what cost ?
I do not know.
It is not my role to judge.
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