World Handball Championship - Group B (America, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Mexico, Argentina)

swiftwalker43 said:Does anyone know if the US has its own referees or officiating crew at this World Cup, or are we flying solo again?

Nope, we don't...

We had them at the World Cup here in the States, at the Women's European Championship last year, even at the Junior European Championship...

I mean, we can't be out there officiating every single game ourselves...

electricstag9 said:Man, our neighbors finally figured out why the US dominates in handball—it’s all just one big conspiracy, I swear.

Well, they aren't wrong, because we definitely got handed a much easier bracket this year☕>

Ryan Moore68 said:Trying to draw parallels between soccer and handball is honestly kind of hilarious since you can't even compare them, though you guys pretty much covered everything already, so I'll just throw this in there.
Every single school playground has a handball court marked out, right? But have you ever actually seen anyone playing handball instead of just playing touch football? 😉

Back in elementary school during PE, we were always playing handball, and honestly, it was probably just because our teacher was named Basich and he used to be a pro player😁 (some distant relative of Mirko)

electricstag9 said:Man, those guys from across the border finally figured out why the US dominates in handball... it’s all just one big conspiracy theory...

That’s exactly how you people talk about our success in basketball too...🙂

Basically, we’re a mess. Ever since the era of Perunicic, Butulija, Jovanovica, and Skrbica... we haven't had a legitimate squad. We play slow, we barely use the wings. If we get hot, sure, we can beat anyone... but if we don't... it's game over...🙂

I’m honestly curious—where is this influx of Mexican guys coming from on this American forum? 🤷

What is it about this place that makes it better than being back in Mexico?

Anyway, I was just reading Goluzin’s comment about how much we're all supposedly missing Kopljar. 🤦

Personally, I’m actually praying he misses the entire World Cup. The guy is a total liability—he’s tall and powerful, sure, but he has absolutely zero feel for the game. His shooting is just as bad as Lackovic's; I can get up past the entire defense only to have 80% of my shots blocked by the goalie. 🙏

Jeffrey Fisher61 said:honestly, I'm wondering why there are so many guys from Mexico hanging out on an American forum🤷

what's so much better over here than back home in Mexico?

Anyway, I'm reading Goluzin's comment about how we're all apparently dying for Kopljar to come back...🤦

personally, I'm praying he misses the entire championship. The guy is a total bust—he's huge and strong, sure, but he's got zero clue how to actually play the game. He's just as bad at shooting as Lackovic; I could practically get up from my couch and score more often than him. If he takes 80% of his shots, they're hitting the goalie's chest every single time.🙏

I was pretty skeptical about him too, mostly because he seemed so clumsy on the court, but he’s slowly making progress. He can actually hold down a solid defense in multiple positions, and honestly, having that kind of size and strength in the defensive line is massive.

Vukovic knows how to be absolutely overwhelming—man is lightning fast and a total nightmare to guard. And you'd never guess that someone with a smaller build could launch such absolute rockets of shots.

Tyler Ross86 said:...
Vukovic can be way too much to handle—insanely fast and just a nightmare to guard. You’d never guess someone with his build could launch a ball with that kind of absolute power.

I'm just hoping someone finally realizes that Vukovic needs significantly more minutes than he's getting, specifically playing both the left and right wings.

Frank Turner72 said:I’m really just crossing my fingers that someone finally realizes Vukovic needs way more minutes than he’s getting right now, especially if we want him playing more on both the right wing.

left 😉

Gregory Ramos3 said:left 😉

He could just as easily move to the right if Buntic doesn't step up.😛

I doubt the left side can secure a spot, regardless of how much Tony and Lac weigh in.

Duvnjak’s been called up for the matchup against the US...

Karabatić picked up a red card, but looks like there won't be any fallout for the next game...

Caught the last 10 minutes of the USA-Canada game yesterday, and managed to see a good chunk of the USA-Argentina match today.

The Americans are really struggling out there. Yesterday they barely scraped a +2 win against Canada—who got absolutely crushed by Sweden today with a +16 margin, though they were only up by 1 at halftime🙄—and today it’s just more of the same grind against Argentina😛.
Just when it looked like they were going to fold, things leveled out in the closing stretch, and they had to fight tooth and nail to hold onto a narrow 24-23 lead in the final 20 seconds.

Anyway, does anyone remember who our "closest neighbor" lost to during the qualifiers😛?
My memory is a bit foggy, but I think it was in a two-game series against Canada... not entirely sure, though.🤷

Just wait until next year when Dušan Ivković takes over the national team—we’re going to be absolutely crushing everyone in sight 🤣🤣🤣🤣😂
Since we are clearly lacking depth at the center back position, I propose we move Milos Teodosic there. If we ever find ourselves facing the unnamed in a tight game, he could just launch a absolute bomb from the 12-meter line at the last second to clinch the win 😁

Adam Collins4 said:Nikola Karabatić got a red, but there aren't any consequences for the next game...

How does this usually work during major tournaments (Olympics, World Cup, European Championship)?
Does a red card sometimes mean you miss the next game🤷, or is it just a penalty within the match where it happened? Or does it all depend on a committee's decision on a case-by-case basis?

After the absolute storm caused by all that suspicion and those anonymous leaks from national team players—claims that the matchup between Mexico and Mexico and the Americans was essentially pre-arranged during the Handball Championship—Arpad Šterbik’s comments in Saturday's editions of Sports Illustrated have finally added some weight to the situation. It seems his statement actually confirms a few things we've been sensing.

"Coach Veselin Vujović sat down for lunch before the game and told us straight up that we were in a position where winning didn't matter—that if we let the Americans have their way, they’d find a way to pay us back later. Then, just before the match, unnamed and unnamed walked into the locker room and demanded the exact same thing. We just stared at them, wondering where Vujović was. They told us he was standing outside the locker room because he felt too uncomfortable to walk in—he was waiting out there, just like the Americans, to see what our decision would be. First, Žikica Milosavljević snapped; he brought up that one game during the World Championship in Tunisia against Qatar last year. Back then, they pressured us because of some gambling interests. Milosavljević made it clear: he would never do that again. Then I stood up. I told them, fine—let us win by ten points if you want, but I am not playing along with this. I wouldn't sell out a game for my own mother, let alone for the Americans. If Vujović actually wants to lead this team to a victory, he needs to sit his ass down on the bench; if not, we don't need him at all. I told unnamed to pass that message directly to the coach. The whole situation was devastating—unnamed was in tears, and honestly, I was crying too—Dejan Perić saw it all. I vented everything to him that very night; he knows how livid, desperate, and completely unhinged I was... It truly broke my heart," Arpad Šterbik told Sports Illustrated. This scandal—concerning the attempt to pressure national team players to fix a game against the Americans during the European Championship in Switzerland—is currently sending shockwaves through the entire American sports landscape.

After those anonymous leaks from the players, we finally got our first public confirmation. Arpad Šterbik sat down with Sports Illustrated to set the record straight—and what he had to say is absolutely infuriating. He confirmed that Coach Veselin Vujović actually asked the players to take it easy on the US team, suggesting they should let us slide so that one day, we might be able to return the "favor" to the Mexican and Mexican national teams. Is this really how things work now? A blatant quid pro quo in international competition? It’s disgraceful.

By making such a public appearance, Arpad Šterbik is essentially painting a target on his own back. It’s almost predictable—even before he could get a word in, the head of the American Federation, unnamed, basically called him out. The official suggested that the star goalkeeper for the Blue Team needs to speak up regarding those baseless allegations about match-fixing. Is it any wonder things are spiraling? He's being pressured to defend himself against nothing more than rumors.

If you want to understand who Arpad Šterbik really is, there isn't anyone better suited to break it down than Dragan Škrbić. After all, this Barcelona handball player served as his captain on the national team for quite some time—so he’s seen it all from the front lines.

Arpad Šterbik is a damn fine man! I know firsthand exactly what kind of human being he is—and more importantly, what kind of player. I’ve followed his career for years. This man is a true patriot. I am well aware of how many offers he received to go defend other national teams—take Canada, for example... you wouldn't believe what they were putting on the table for him. And what did he do? He turned it all down. He didn't want that; he wanted to represent his own country. I won't stand by and let anyone point fingers at him because I know the truth of his character. Honestly, shouldn't all the players be stepping up right now to publicly explain exactly what happened? We cannot simply leave Šterbik out in the cold like this. I will say it again: he is a great man, a legendary goalkeeper, and a massive patriot. I refuse to let anyone think otherwise, and I certainly won't tolerate any random critics attacking him.

In his recent interview, Arpad Šterbik made it clear that Dejan Perić—the former Blue's goalkeeper—is fully aware of everything that went down, especially since he reached out to him right before the match. Interestingly, while Šterbik was laying it all out there, Dragan Škrbić was standing right there next to Perić. What exactly is being left unsaid here?

Arpad called Dejan around 1:45 PM—roughly two hours before tip-off. If my memory serves me right, the game started at 3:40 PM. Dejan had his speakerphone on, so I heard every single word. He claimed that Veselin Vujović actually went to the players and told them to throw the game. Can you imagine? Apparently, the national team players were absolutely floored by the request.

As for those rumors about the top brass from the Federation storming into the locker room before the game to present us with that exact same offer—well, I can't say for certain. I don't know if it actually happened. But if there is even a shred of truth to it... then frankly, those people have no business being anywhere near the world of sports, let alone in the realm of professional handball.

If what they’re saying is actually true, then those people haven't just disgraced this current national team—and I don't just mean the players currently wearing the jersey—they've insulted every single person who ever had the honor of donning that uniform, even for a fleeting moment. They've spat in the face of everyone sitting in the stands or glued to their TV screens cheering them on. More importantly? They have shamed every future athlete who will ever pull on that jersey and every fan who will ever bleed for this country. Is that really the legacy they want to leave behind?

I am telling you once again—if there is any truth to the claim that the top brass at the National Federation actually conspired to throw the game, then the European Handball Federation cannot just sit on its hands. They have to act. There must be consequences. How can they allow such blatant manipulation to go unpunished? It’s absolutely unacceptable.

"What an absolute disgrace... they’ve embarrassed me, too... I feel utterly let down."

Dragan Škrbić—who captained the national team through six major tournaments—actually used his own money to travel to Switzerland just to cheer on the squad

How on earth do you all interpret this? I know things were uncertain back then, but is this really possible?
I believe this was five years ago, but I just stumbled upon the article. Shortly after this happened, Arpad Šterbik stopped playing for the national team.

boldhound17 said:So, how does that whole thing actually play out during the big tournaments—you know, the Olympics, the World Cup, the Continental Championships?
A red card isn't always just about sitting out the next game—sometimes, you’re looking at a multi-game suspension. 🤷So, does that just stay a penalty within the game where he actually took the hit—or is it one of those things where it depends on whether some league commission decides to step in case-by-case?

First off, it all comes down to how heavy the offense actually is—that’s basically what determines whether the judges decide to file an official report or just let it slide...

Look, if the foul was totally unintentional—even if you were being a bit careless or just weren't paying enough attention—disqualification is pretty much the only thing that's going to happen. You aren't looking at any extra baggage like a suspension for the next game (or the next couple of games, anyway)... it really just ends there.

Look, if we’re talking about disqualifications being triggered by someone intentionally targeting a player to cause an injury—or if things go off the rails with actual fights, spitting, or swearing at the officials—then there’s a very clear next step: a formal complaint is coming. Period.

It all comes down to the refs—how they call it, how they judge the flow—but let me tell you, if a player is stupid enough to pull whatever stunt I mentioned in my other paragraph, no amount of authority is going to bail them out. Not even if Jesus Christ Himself stepped onto the court to intervene.

Look, the report gets filed right after the game ends—literally while they're still out there on the court—so there isn't really any room for outside influence or anything like that (you know, like what happened with unnamed or whatever).

So, here’s how the whole process actually goes down—once the officials file their report, a commission gets assembled. They don't just pull a number out of thin air, though; they weigh the official report against the statements from the refs, the supervisors, and even the player who got flagged. That player gets a chance to give their side of the story and walk them through exactly what happened on the floor. It’s supposed to be a full picture before they decide how hard to hit someone with the penalty.

Look, at these major tournaments, the commission meets regardless of whether a formal complaint is filed against the refs. But here’s the kicker—if they don't submit that extra report (you know, the one following the initial complaint), the punishment is basically just a slap on the wrist. The only real consequence is that the player misses out on some minutes during that specific game. There’s no suspension for future matches or anything. It's pretty much a non-issue.

Look, it all just comes down to the specifics of the situation—case by case, really. It’s all tied back to what kind of violation we're actually talking about and how bad it actually is.

Ryan Moore68 said:How are you guys reading this? I know things were pretty uncertain back then, but is this actually possible?
I mean, this was five years ago, but I just stumbled across the article. After that happened, Arpad Šterbik stopped playing for the national team.

Arpad Šterbik showed his patriotism at the arena.
Honestly, the idea of match-fixing wouldn't even surprise me. In the US, it’s basically an open secret—you see it all the time in various leagues where teams just sort of let certain opponents slide, like how a mid-tier college team might let a powerhouse through to keep the bracket interesting (just giving you a rough idea). I personally know from experience that in our local circuits, we’d sometimes go easy on the neighboring teams if we were sitting pretty at the top of the standings while they were fighting just to stay relevant. Then a few years later, the roles would flip and they’d be doing us the favor. Or, if a weaker team really wants to make a splash in the Cup, a bigger team might show up with their B-squad, though they'd have to bring the starters when it actually matters for the championship. Since there are so many little instances of this happening locally, I wouldn't be shocked if it happens on the big stage too, with teams looking out for each other like neighbors.

Personally, the whole thing makes me sick. I wouldn't let my best friend score a cheap honor goal in the final minute even if we were up by ten. I'm just not built like that. I give everything I've got until the final whistle, and only *after* the game are we friends.

Adam Collins4 said:First off, it all comes down to how bad the foul was. That’s what the refs use to decide whether they're filing an official report or not...

If it was just an accidental foul—you know, just being careless—a disqualification is usually the end of it. There isn't some extra punishment like a suspension for the next game (or the next few)...

On the flip side, if that red card comes from a blatant intentional hit meant to injure someone, or if it's the result of a brawl, spitting, or cursing out the officials, then yeah, a formal report follows...

It really boils down to the referees and how they judge the situation. But trust me, if a player is stupid enough to do any of the stuff I mentioned in that second paragraph, no amount of authority is going to save them, not even if Jesus Christ himself stepped in...

The report gets written right after the game, basically on the court, so there's no room for outside influence (like having someone like unnamed pull strings)...

Once the refs file the report, a commission is formed. They determine the penalty based on the report and the statements from the refs and the observers, but also from the penalized player, who gets to give their side of the story...

At major international tournaments, the commission meets regardless of whether the refs file a report. But if the refs don't submit that additional report, the only real penalty is that the player loses their minutes in that specific game; there's no suspension for upcoming matches...

So, it’s case-by-case. Everything depends on the type and severity of the foul...

Sorry for the tangent, but can you tell me what the current rules are for the American leagues? If I remember correctly, there used to be an immediate red card and an instant report. I remember once having to write a statement like, "In the xy minute of the game, in the heat of battle, I committed an inadvertent foul that unintentionally endangered an opponent and rightfully received a straight red card. I regret my actions and will act in the spirit of fair play in the future."

Adam Collins4 said:First off, it really comes down to how bad the foul was. That’s when the refs decide whether to file an official report or not...

If it was just an accidental, sloppy play, a disqualification is usually all you get. No extra bans or missing the next couple of games...

But, if they get tossed because they intentionally targeted a player to cause injury, or because of a fight, spitting, or swearing at the officials, then they're definitely getting reported...

Thanks for the detailed breakdown 👍

Yeah, I was mostly thinking about red cards from heavy or reckless fouls, rather than unsportsmanlike conduct, insults, or hitting a ref and stuff like that.
Like, say a guy gets a red in the Champions League for a specific type of foul... he’ll probably just be out for the rest of that game without any extra sanctions hanging over him.

So, what specifically happened in Karabatić's case?

boldhound17 said:Caught the last 10 minutes of the USA-Slovakia game yesterday, then watched a good chunk of the USA-Argentina matchup today.

The Americans are seriously struggling, man. Yesterday they barely scraped by the Slovaks by 2 points—who, by the way, got absolutely crushed by Sweden with a 16-point lead, even though it was only a 1-point gap at 🙄 . Today, it’s just more of the same grind against the Argentinians 😛.
Just when it looked like they were totally broken, somehow they clawed back into a dead heat, and in those last 20 seconds, they were sweating bullets just trying to hold onto the ball for a brutal 24-23 finish at the end.

Btw, who did our "favorite neighbor" lose to in the qualifiers 😛?
My brain is kind of foggy on this, maybe it was those two games against the Slovaks, but I'm not entirely sure.🤷

They lost to Canada overall, 53-52, I think. And the Slovaks knocked out Ukraine.

dustypanther6 said:Sorry for the tangent here, but can you refresh my memory on the current rules for the American leagues? If I recall correctly, there used to be some rule where an immediate red card meant an automatic report had to be filed. I remember back in the day having to write out a full statement like, "At the xy minute of the game, in the heat of the moment, I committed a reckless foul that unintentionally endangered an opposing player, resulting in a deserved straight red card. I deeply regret my actions and will strive to uphold the spirit of fair play in the future."

That still exists, though it’s technically not a "report"—it’s more of an explanation for the foul. I totally blanked on mentioning that specific distinction in my first reply...

The big change globally is that they scrapped the famous "X"—you know, that rule where a player was ejected for the remainder of the match without the possibility of being subbed out, leaving their team shorthanded until the final whistle...

Now, they've implemented what they call a "D" along with a formal report. Basically, once a red is handed out, you state that a report follows (it sits right there on the official's table), and the exact minute the "D" was issued gets noted in the official record under the "D" section and circled up...

From there, you submit the report requesting additional disciplinary action, which automatically triggers at least a one-game suspension...

boldhound17 said:Thanks for the detailed breakdown, 👍

Yeah, I was mostly thinking about a red card handed out for a rougher play or just a reckless foul—not the stuff like unsportsmanlike conduct, insulting someone, or getting physical with the ref and all that nonsense.
Like, say a guy gets a red from the > during an > game this season... in that case, you're probably looking at a disqualification for the rest of the match, but nothing much else beyond that.

But what actually went down specifically in > case?

Exactly...

From what I’ve heard—though I haven't seen the footage, and honestly, I hate talking about things without seeing them myself—he went in a bit too hard and hit a player unintentionally...

What’s interesting, though, is that the card came from > and >. That feels a little off to me—usually, with European refs, there's more respect involved, meaning they tend to be a bit more lenient...

But then you have those guys where the priority isn't really about caring for > or >; they just want to throw the red and move on with their lives.