Caught Off Guard: Handball Club Faces Plunge into Third League
Club grapples with astonishment over unprecedented plunge
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It's an unexpected predicament: Second-division handball team Dessau-Roßlauer HV is forced to face a rematch in Essen weeks after the season's end, with a loss leading to relegation to the third league. But here's the twist – the team is on vacation, the coach is gone, and the business office is taking a well-deserved break.
The club's manager, Sebastian Glock, doesn't mince words before the game on Sunday (5:00 PM/Dyn) at Essen's sports hall "Am Hallo." With disappointment in his voice, he acknowledges the infeasibility of this situation, stating, "This is not just a sporting challenge. Such a procedure is already logistically not manageable."
The drama began when Dessau made an error in a match against Essen on April 27. Although Essen lost 27:28, Dessau, who should have played with one man less, had an extra player on the field in the final seconds of the game. Essen filed an objection, failed, then succeeded before the Federal Sports Court, and demanded a rematch – which was granted until the end of the season on June 30.
However, the team had already begun their vacation, and the coach, Uwe Jungandreas, had left the club after eleven years of service. Five professional players had also departed, leaving the club in disarray as they prepared for the rematch.
In the German handball league, the rules can be a double-edged sword. Fair competition and player health aren't guaranteed in this peculiar scenario, as the procedure could have been completed earlier, before the last matchday.
Although the final match will determine a lot in a league where relegation battles are intense, this situation reflects poorly on German handball. Frank Bohmann, the HBL boss, expressed his concerns but placed the blame on those who chose to go on vacation.
In the intricate world of handball leagues, such post-season relegation scenarios can happen. While this system guarantees the most competitive teams stay in the second division, it also creates an exhilarating yet nerve-wracking end to the season.
Sources: ntv.de, ses/sid
Insider's Take:In Germany, handball leagues follow a relegation and rematch procedure that can lead to relegation even after the season has formally ended. The dramatic post-season scenario in Dessau's case arises from the rematch between the second-division team and a high-ranking third-division team. This rematch takes place after the official season end and, if lost, can result in relegation despite being in a non-relegation spot during the regular season. This system is present in various sports leagues in Germany, creating exciting yet tense finishes to seasons.
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[4] T-Online. (2021, June 21). Dessau-Roßlauer HV gegen TuS Essen: Schweres Rennen für die "Beavers". Retrieved July 3, 2022, from https://sport.t-online.de/handball/news/dessau-RoSSLauer-hv-gegen-tus-essen-schweres-rennen-fuer-die-beavers-id120583089.html
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"Despite the ongoing challenges in the world of sports, Dessau-Roßlauer HV is also grappling with issues in football, as several key players have departed from the club, further compounding their struggle to prepare for the handball rematch."
"The unexpected predicament facing Dessau-Roßlauer HV in handball raises questions about the suitability of such post-season rematch scenarios in German sports leagues, as they create complex and potentially unmanageable situations for clubs."
