Karlskrona Handball and Hatred Still Have IHF Go-Ahead

IHF: "Sweden and sports fits well"
SWC: Danger to Jews

This innocuous-looking announcement dated June 1^st is now up on the International Handball Federation (IHF) website: 

-“IHF and TV rights holder UFA Sports offer handball fans all over the world a special online service during the Men’s World Championship in Sweden: In cooperation with the application specialist Motain, IHF and UFA Sports bring all highlights and news of the XXII Men’s World Championship on your iPhone, iPod and iPad.”

The question is: Will sports fans see the anti-Israel riots too on their i-toys?

While promising,

-“great matches staged in a fantastic atmosphere, accompanied by exciting fans cheering up their home team, by fairness demonstrated towards all participating nations and by the sheer joy to experience fine handball," the reality will not match the hype for the Israel-Sweden match.

Last week we reported that there are clear threats of a repeat of the 2009 Davis Cup riots which took place during an Israel-Sweden match played without spectators in Malmö. The announcement means that the IHF and its sponsor organization are plowing ahead and not cancelling the match—despite the not likely but expected hate fest that will accompany the June 12^th scheduled match. The haters on both the far-right and far-left will have a chance to show their anger at the pre-game anti-Israel “Day of Rage” protest.

It appears that cancelling what are probably lucrative sponsor contracts is not an option for the IHF, despite warnings from the Simon Wiesenthal Center to the IHF, the European Handball Federation, and the nine corporate sponsors. The letter from the SWC made these points (our emphases):

This announcement means that the IHF and its sponsor organization are plowing ahead and not cancelling the match—despite the not likely but expected hate fest that will accompany the June 12^th scheduled match. The haters on both the far-right and far-left will have a chance to show their anger at the pre-game anti-Israel “Day of Rage” protest.

It appears that cancelling what are probably lucrative sponsor contracts is not an option for the IHF, despite warnings from the Simon Wiesenthal Center to the IHF, the European Handball Federation, and the nine corporate sponsors. The letter from the SWC made these points (our emphases):

·         "Neo-Nazis and Radical Islamists Call for 12 June Day of Rage at Sweden-Israel Match in Karlskrona - Centre Urges Corporate Sponsors Intervention and Maintains Travel Advisory"

·         "Palestine Solidarity Group Chairman, Per Gahrton -who reportedly took credit for that Malmo travesty - according to current flyers, will, on 12 June, address the stadium one hour before the European Men's Handball Qualification between Sweden and Israel in Karlskrona."

·         "Karlskrona, whose UNESCO Heritage port was, ironically, developed by its first Jewish community in 1785 - is today Sweden's neo-Nazi capital."

·         "12 June promises to turn the city into a mecca for far right and left extremists, together with radical Islamists, in a "day of rage" hatefest, endangering Jews, moderate Muslims and the Swedish general public."

·         "we expect you and your European regional Federation to keep hate out of handball by, sadly, keeping the 2011 Handball Championship out of Sweden."

·         For further information contact Dr. Shimon Samuels on 0033(0)609770158

We will continue to keep you posted—we hope that the IHF/EHF and its corporate backers will see some sense and “pull the plug” on what promises to be an unsporting event.

By Chanah Shapira