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Al-Ahram Weekly 4 -10 February 1999 Issue No. 415 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 4 -10 February 1999 Issue No. 415
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Book Fair Economy Opinion Culture Features Living Travel Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Beware the comfortable group
By Inas MazharEgypt's hopes of reaching at least a semi-final berth in the 16th World Handball Championship, to be played from 1 to 15 June, may be realised. Following last week's draw, it was generally acknowledged that Egypt's Group B is a walkover and that finishing atop a pack that includes lightweight contenders Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Brazil and FRYO Macedonia would prove an all too easy task for the Egyptian team, ranked sixth in the world. But the word -- from the press and the country's handball executives alike -- is not to take anything for granted. While Group B might be chock-a-block full of pretenders to the title, this is still a world championship, they argue, and countries do not get this far unless they are fairly decent on the court.
After the draw , the Cairo ballet students displayed part of ballet Aida
photos: Hossam Diab
The draw, held at the Opera House in the city's smart residential quarter of Zamalek, was a decent affair in itself. As thousands watched from the galleries, along with millions on TV, Peter Muhlameter, president of the International Handball Federation's (IHF) Competition's Committee and Frank Birkefeld, managing director of the federation, directed the proceedings. They were assisted by German Yoachim Deckram, arguably the greatest player of the 1970's, who was forced into early retirement after an on-court head injury left him partially paralysed.
As red plastic balls from a glass bowl were chosen at random, one by one the countries' group placings were announced. The final groups were drawn as follows:
Group A: Spain, Tunisia, Denmark, Algeria, Argentina and Morocco.
Group B: Germany, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Cuba, FRYO Macedonia and Brazil.
Group C: Russia, Hungary, Croatia, Norway, Nigeria and Kuwait.
Group D: Sweden, Yugoslavia, France, Korea, China and Australia. Groups A and B will play in Cairo. Group C countries will compete in Ismailia. Group D teams will play in Port Said.
Singer Hesham Abbas performing the Championship's official song
Since Egypt is hosting the event -- an honour never before bestowed on an Arab or African country -- it had the prerogative to choose which group it would play in when the draw was nearly over. It was an academic question. Following the briefest of huddles with his staff, Hassan Moustafa, president of the Egyptian Handball Federation, announced to applause and shouts of joy from spectators, but to no one's surprise: Egypt chooses Group B.
Following the draw, Alexander Koshokov, of the IHF's competition's committee, told the Weekly that the qualifying rounds would witness fierce competition and exciting matches, particularly in Groups C and D. "These two groups include the strongest teams in the world," Koshokov said, "whereas Group A and B matches will be less entertaining, what with only four or five strong teams."
The assessment certainly makes sense. But as Egypt prepares for the games, it knows full well it should take Koshokov's words with a pinch of salt.
