Sweden will soon enter the handball Olympics.
But Jim Gottfridsson is not satisfied with the arrangement.
– It’s boring, says the star.
Although the grand opening takes place on Friday evening, the Olympics are starting to creep up, and already on Thursday evening it is time for Sweden’s ladies to step into the handball group stage, where heavy opposition awaits directly in the form of Norway. It will also be tough for Sweden in the first group stage match, when they face Germany on Saturday.
The decision that is sawn
Sweden’s men have been tipped in advance as one of the big gold favorites during the tournament, and the ladies also have hopes of going far. The least you can count on is at most both teams advancing from the group stage – but if they do, a big change awaits in the middle of the Olympics.
It is the dream of many athletes to one day experience the atmosphere that prevails in the Olympic Village, where thousands of athletes gather during the Games. But the finals in handball are decided in Lille, two hours outside Paris, which means that Sweden, if they advance from the group stage, are forced to leave the Olympic village in Paris. And it’s a decision that isn’t well received by the stars.
“Very sad”
Jim Gottfridsson believes that it is the Olympics’ obligation to ensure that the host city is large enough to hold all the competitions there.
– Boring. The Olympics are played every four years and then you have to be in an Olympic village the whole time. It is very sad that an Olympics is held in a city that does not have room for everything, he tells Aftonbladet.
And he is not alone in thinking so. Jamina Roberts also agrees with the criticism.
– I think it is sad that we are moving to Lille. Then it will be like a completely normal championship. Half the point of the Olympics is the Olympic village and the uniqueness of it. It’s a shame, she says.
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