A decision by EHF changes the playing field of Champions League, no more than a month before the start of the group stage. The financial situation in Ludwigsburg stops the German champion and Sola HK enters as a Norwegian contender.
Since the start of Ludwigsburg´s financial issues in the public eye EHF asked to be kept up to date. The information given has now affected the German club with a major backlash.
”The decision of the European Handball Federation on Tuesday followed information received earlier in the day by HB Ludwigsburg’s interim insolvency administrator that the club would not be able to secure the necessary funding to participate in the EHF Champions League”, writes eurohandball.com.
Sola was one of the teams that requested to have an upgrade to the premier European competition. According to the coach Steffen Stegavik the offer by EHF was made Monday night and a quick process between players and club management led to the positive response.
– It’s a big step for us. Small Sola playing Champions League is not something someone would have thought about a few years ago. Surreal, he says to VG.
Meanwhile, EHF announces further legal actions against Ludwigsburg and the German Handball federation and league organisation, ”based on the registration requirements set out in the regulations of the EHF Champions League”.