The 2010 International Handball Federation (IHF) Super Globe in Qatar will see the participation of the top handball teams featuring the best players from around the world when the competition gets underway from May 17 to 21 at the Al Sadd Sports Club. With the continental Champions League winners of Europe, star-studded Spanish side BM Ciudad Real already qualified, together with Pan American winners Unopar Fel / Sercomtel, and Oceania representative AHF Southern Stars, the only remaining teams are the Asian and African representatives which will be discovered through a qualification process in the coming month. Host country team Al Sadd was the final team to enter the draw on the 6th of March in Doha.
Under the new deal with IHF, signed by the IHF President Dr Hassan Moustafa and Vice President of Al Sadd Club, HE Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al-Thani, the Super Globe will be organised annually in Qatar from 2010 to 2013 at Al Sadd Sport Club.
“In making this magnificent event a yearly competition we are bringing together in Qatar all of the top teams in the world for a competition which further assists the development of handball around the world. I am sure that we will witness a fantastic tournament which will emphatically portray the region’s handball passion to the world once more,” said Mr. Jassim Al Romaihi, Secretary General of the Al Sadd Sport Club.
“I believe this exciting competition has found a wonderful host city for the next four years. We have a fantastic track record of hosting top class sporting events in Qatar, and we are committed to developing handball in Qatar and across our region. I strongly believe this tournament of the best teams in the world will generate a great deal of excitement in our country and help to develop the next generation of handball players from the Middle East. We have excellent sporting facilities to offer and we are looking forward to providing spectators and players alike with an extraordinary sporting event.”
The teams were drawn into groups in the logo launch and draw ceremony in Doha on Saturday. In Group A, BM Ciudad Real will meet Unopar Fel / Sercomtel and the African team which will qualify later. Al Sadd Club will meet the Asian representative and AHF Southern Stars in Group B.
BM Ciudad Real are amongst the favorites for the competition after winning the European Champions League, the European Super Cup and the Spanish League in a spectacular season. The team from central Spain has continued this sparkling run of form in the new season and remains unbeaten in the current European Champions League campaign after winning a tough-looking away fixture at FC Croatia Osiguranje 27-24 in Group C recently.
Local side Al Sadd Club will be looking to add further silverware to their glistening collection when the competition comes to their home stadium in May, having already won the same tournament in 2002 to add to their 5 Asian Champions League trophies, the last of which came in 2005. The Qatari club also has nine Qatari league titles to its name and will be looking to get off to a good start in a competition which also features the continental champions of Asia, Oceania and Pan-America.
“We are expecting a fascinating and highly competitive tournament here in Doha, and we wish all the participating teams the best of luck in the competition. There is no doubt, though, that handball will be the real winner when these high quality teams come together in Qatar in front of passionate spectators in spectacular sports facilities,” added Mr. Al Romaihi.
