DHK players express concern over upcoming match against Israeli team in Norway

Over the weekend, players of Norwegian handball club DHK celebrated their victory over the Italian team Pallamano Conservano, advancing further in the European Cup. However, their joy quickly diminished when they learned their next opponent would be from Israel.

“I can’t hide the fact that I don’t personally want this. I strongly oppose what the Israelis are doing in the Middle East,” DHK coach Kristian Kjelling stated on the club’s website. The news of facing an Israeli team has sparked reactions among the players as well. “It’s not like I wanted us to face such an opponent. Just because we engage in this match doesn’t mean we support what the state of Israel is doing in the Middle East right now,” said player Tobias Mehren Søberg.

The away game against the Israeli team will not take place in Israel but rather on Norwegian ground. The club has already held six or seven meetings with the Police Security Service (PST) due to concerns about potential protests similar to those that erupted during a match featuring Israel’s U19 team in March, which saw several hundred demonstrators outside the stadium.

DHK might face significant fines if they refuse to play against the Israeli team. In 2022, the club opted not to travel to Russia for a match against Krasnodar, prioritizing safety amid the outbreak of war in Ukraine, which resulted in threats of fines and suspension from the European Handball Federation for future refusal to play.

“Given our financial situation, a fine for not showing up would be unmanageable,” cautioned board chair Ragnhild Larsen-Nyhus Haaning, emphasizing that the club finds itself with no real alternative but to play the match.