Exactly four weeks away from the 2010 Women’s European Championship in Denmark and Norway, all 16 teams are working extremely hard in order to achieve the best possible outcome in their preparation. But they are not the only ones.
Also the 13 referee couples of the EHF EURO 2010 are preparing, as their overall responsibility is to ensure a high standard of refereeing. Therefore they have been given the chance to officiate an unusually high amount of major women’s handball games this season, many in the EHF Champions League.
In addition, individual preparation is on the referee’s daily To-Do-List. Prior to the tournament the 13 couples will be tested by the EHF. The tests include their physical condition as well as refereeing theory.
Furthermore the Department of Refereeing in the EHF Competitions Commission has assigned homework to all referees regarding how to apply the new rules, which is to be presented in active discussions during a referee workshop prior to the tournament.
The 13 referee couples of the EHF EURO 2010
- Matija Gubica + Boris Milošević (Croatia)
- Jiri Opava + Pavel Válek (Czech Republic)
- Marlene Krolokke Lythje + Karina Christiansen (Denmark) (only Preliminary Round)
- Martin Gjeding + Mads Hansen (Denmark) (from Main Round on)
- Charlotte Bonaventura + Julie Bonaventura (France)
- Csaba Kekes + Pal Kekes (Hungary)
- Slomo Cohen + Yoram Peretz (Israel)
- Zigmars Stolarovs + Renars Licis (Latvia)
- Ivan Pavićević + Miloš Ražnatović (Montenegro)
- Kjersti Arntsen + Ida Cecilie Gullaksen (Norway)
- Diana-Carmen Florescu + Anamaria Duta (Romania)
- Valerija Guseva + Stella Vartanyann (Russia)
- Peter Brunovsky + Vladimir Canda (Slovakia)
After the Preliminary Round, the existing group of referees will be reduced by the EHF. Two referee couples (plus Lythje/Christiansen who will be replaced by Gjeding/Hansen) will have to leave the tournament prior the start of the Main Round based upon:
- Performance that is observed during the Preliminary Round games
- Neutrality
- Results in the different tests