Al-Hajjar: Exceptional handball conditions reflected on national team results

Kuwait’s acting president of the Handball Federation, Shuaib Al-Hajjari, affirmed that the exceptional circumstances that the Kuwaiti handball sector endured in recent months were among the factors that negatively impacted the national teams’ results in recent international competitions. At the same time, he stressed that this does not constitute an excuse for the outcomes, but rather a reality that must be taken into account during evaluations.

Al-Hajjari stated that competitions and training sessions were almost completely halted from February to June last year, for approximately four months, due to the security conditions and the war that affected the region, while other Gulf and Asian national teams and clubs continued their training programs and participation as normal.

He added, “We returned to participate in Asian qualifiers and tournaments, and we recognize that the preparation period we lost cannot be made up in a matter of days or weeks. It is natural that this would affect performance and results, especially in age-group categories that require continuity and progressive preparation.”

He clarified that the federation does not reject criticism or evaluation, saying, “We do not claim that the results are beyond criticism, nor do we reject evaluation. However, we reject being assessed as if all teams entered the competitions under the same conditions and underwent the same preparation period.”

Al-Hajjari noted that it is the right of the handball community and the public to demand better results, which is entirely legitimate. “But it is also the right of the players, coaching staff, and administrative personnel to receive fairness and recognition for the exceptional circumstances they endured.”