– I knew nothing when I signed. It came out in the media afterwards. It was of course a little surprising, says Silje Solberg-Østhassel to news. The national handball goalkeeper signed for Vipers Kristiansand in February – just after the club was saved from bankruptcy. But now the club is once again at risk of bankruptcy. Based on the information Solberg-Østhassel received in February, she thinks it seems strange. – I was told all along that things were under control, but it seems that there have been bigger problems than they realized from the start, she says. As early as October, the new Olympic winner may have to look around for a new club. But she has no plans for that. – It is of course sad that it has turned out like this. But I know, and I trust that those who can do something about it, do everything they can to solve it, says Solberg-Østhassel. GOLD: A few weeks ago, Silje Solberg-Østhassel and the Norwegian handball girls cheered for Olympic gold in Paris. Now she hopes the Vipers survive. Photo: NTB – Thought we had control Per Geir Løvstad is general manager of Vipers Kristiansand. He says that the club thought they had an overview when they signed Solberg in February. – We went through a rescue operation in January and February, and it was supposed to take us out of the season. Then the board has taken on greater costs after February than we had budgeted for, which means that we have arrived at the situation we are in now, says Løvstad to news. – Then we thought we had control over this season. I don’t know what information she got, but it was known when she was signed that we had the problems we had at the turn of the year, he continues. The president of the Norwegian Handball Association, Kåre Geir Lio, wants the clubs to gain control over the finances. He hopes clubs like Vipers have learned from what has happened. – It is unfortunate that it came as a surprise to the managers and the board that it was like this. It shouldn’t be like this, says Lio to news. WANTS IMPROVEMENT: President of the Norwegian Handball Association, Kåre Geir Lio, is not satisfied with what happened in Vipers Kristiansand. Photo: Erlend Havsgård Martinsen / news Doubled crisis numbers But it’s not just the Vipers who are in a bad place in Norwegian handball. Of the 28 clubs at the top level, 10 clubs are on the red list due to poor finances. That is a doubling from last year. – After all, the market fluctuates for everyone who depends on each other. Sport notices when business is having a hard time, and now there are tougher times in the Norwegian economy. We just have to help each other, says the president. He explains that Norwegian handball has had an economy that has “danced around a zero-sum game”, and that the equity is therefore not good. – I believe that it is possible to get this to an ever better level, so I am not worried. We work with the resources we have. Norwegian handball is generally in good shape, and we can take it from there. These clubs are red-listed Eliteserien for women: Byåsen Handball Elite Follo HK Ladies Fredrikstad Ballklubb Gjerpen Handball Våg Handball Elite Eliteserien for men: Bækkelaget Handball Elite Fjellhammer IL Halden Top handball (received two point moves) Haslum HK (received two point moves) Øyestad IF Handball Elite – Worryingly, Vipers reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League this year, but won the world’s most prestigious club tournament three years in a row before that. National team manager for the handball girls, Thorir Hergeirsson, is keen to have national team players who play at the very highest level. – It is clear that there is concern with Vipers. We also got to know the paring knife. These are tough times, says Hergeirsson to news. CONCERNED: National team manager for the handball girls, Thorir Hergeirsson, hopes Vipers Kristiansand will be able to survive the tough times. Photo: Erlend Havsgård Martinsen / news He points out that it costs money to invest internationally. Nevertheless, the coach is positive, and he believes that both Vipers and Norwegian handball will manage to get through the tough times. – I hope that the ambitions and results they have shown can help to motivate those who want to join them in making a move. Because it is important that we have clubs that dare to go out to be the best, he says. Hergeirsson says that the national team depends on both the breadth and the elite to continue to be at the top of the world. – But the national teams that are to be at the top internationally, need players at the top internationally at club level to a great extent. Because there is the level required in national team handball, he says. The elite series in handball starts on Saturday. Vipers play the first game of the season against Storhamar at 16.45. Published 30.08.2024, at 17.43 Updated 30.08.2024, at 19.34
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