2017 Youth Beach Handball World Championship

The International Handball Federation received three bids from Croatia, Hong Kong China and Mauritius for the hosting of 1st IHF Youth (U-17) Beach Handball World Championship. The bids were analyzed by the IHF Beach Handball Working Group. According to the recommendations of the IHF Beach Handball Working Group, the U17 Beach Handball World Championships 2017 should be organized in a country outside Europe to widen the geographical borders of handball. Mauritius offers natural beaches and good climate conditions as well as hotels in walking distance to the venue. The IHF Beach Handball Working Group graded the bidders according to their bidding concept and participation fee per person/per day follows: Croatia 90%, Hong Kong 90% and Mauritius 95%.

The IHF Council unanimously awarded the 1st IHF Youth (U-17) Beach Handball World Championships to the Mauritius on 23 July 2016 in a meeting held in Bratislava (Slovakia) on the recommendation of the IHF Beach Handball Working Group.

The sixteen teams were split into four groups of four teams. After playing a round-robin, the three top ranked team advanced to the main round. Every team kept the points from preliminary round matches against teams who also advance. In the main round every team had three games against the opponents they did not face in the preliminary round. The top four teams of main round will advanced to the quarterfinals.

All matches shall be played in 2 X 10 minutes with a half – time of 5 minutes. The team that wins two sets is the winner of a match, according to the official IHF Rules for Beach Handball. Points are awarded as follows:

• Win = 2 points
• Defeat = 0 points

If two or more teams have gained the same number of points, after the group matches have been completed, classification is decided as follows:

(i) Results in points between the teams concerned

(ii) Periods difference in the matches between the teams concerned

(iii) Goal points difference in the matches between the teams concerned

(iv) Greater number of plus goal points in the matches between the teams concerned

(v) If the teams are still equal, a decision is made between those teams with equal number of points, as long as the contested place is not the last place within the group, as follows

(vi) Periods difference is subtracted in all matches

(vii) Greater number of plus periods in all matches

(viii) Goal point’s difference is subtracted in all matches

(ix) Greater number of plus goal points in all matches

(x) If classification still is not possible, a draw shall decide. The IHF representative on site shall execute the draw, if possible in the presence of the “responsible team official”. If the “responsible team official” cannot be present, other co-workers selected by IHF shall take part in draw.

To be eligible to participate in the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics, athletes must have been born between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2002. Nine (9) quota places will be allocated at the 2017 Youth Beach Handball World Championship to the top ranked teams of the respective continents according to the distribution below:

• One country from Africa
• Two countries from Asia
• Three countries from Europe
• Two countries from Pan-America
• One country from Oceania

The host country of the YOG 2018, Argentina should decide which gender they are going to participate in YOG 2018. For any unused host country places reallocation of unused quota places is valid. According to the Buenos Aires 2018 Qualification Systems Principles, participation in team sports shall be limited to one women’s and one men’s team per NOC across team sports (Football, Handball, Hockey, and Rugby) with the exception of the Host Country who can enter one team per sport.

Reallocation of unused qualification places

If a quota place allocated is not confirmed by the NOC by the confirmation of quota place deadline or is declined by the NOC, the quota place will be reallocated to the next best-ranked NOC from the respective continent not yet qualified from the Youth Beach Handball World Championship. If the quota place is still available, it will be reallocated to the best-ranked NOC from the respective continent not yet qualified in the IHF Beach Handball Senior Ranking, of 20 July 2017. If the quota place is still available, it will be reallocated to the best-ranked NOC not yet qualified in the IHF Beach Handball Senior Ranking, of 20 July 2017.

Reallocation of unused host country places

Any unused host country place (returned or achieved through the 2017 Youth Beach Handball World Championship) will be reallocated to the next best-ranked NOC not yet qualified from the Pan-American continent at the 2017 Youth Beach Handball World Championship. If the quota place is still available, it will be reallocated to the best-ranked NOC from Pan-America not yet qualified in the IHF Beach Handball Senior Ranking, of 20 July 2017. If the quota place is still available, it will be reallocated to the best-ranked NOC not yet qualified in the IHF Beach Handball Senior Ranking, of 20 July 2017.

The draw was held on 17 May 2017. Draw was conducted by Mr. Giampiero Masi (Italy), Chairman of the IHF Beach Handball Working Group.^[2]

Men

Pot 1	Pot 2	Pot 3	Pot 4
Brazil  Thailand  Portugal  Spain	Argentina  Chinese Taipei  Italy  Russia	Australia  Pakistan  Paraguay  Venezuela	Mauritius  New Zealand  South Africa  Togo

Women

Pot 1	Pot 2	Pot 3	Pot 4
Argentina  China  Netherlands  Spain	Brazil  Hungary  Portugal  Thailand	American Samoa  Chinese Taipei  Paraguay  Venezuela	Australia  Croatia  Mauritius  Togo

Following 9 referee pairs were selected for the championship: ^[3]

Referees  Brazil Sydney Antonio Dos Santos / Wanderson Oliveira  China Xu Jian / Cao Hongjun  Croatia Dario Rupčić / Ivica Botincan  Greece Michael Mertinian / Evangelos Syrepisios  Poland /  Turkey Agnieszka Skowronek / Sibel Erdoğan

Referees  Qatar Khaled Al-Heel / Ali Al-Yazeedi  Romania Elena-Georgina Doana / Ana-Maria Gociu  Spain Marcos Pérez Outeda / Héctor Fraile Muñoz  Tunisia Mohammed Kamel Drissi / Mohammed Aymen Ben Salah