The “European Games” are coming …
Sort of
The first “European Games” to be staged on a Pan-American/Asian/Commonwealth Games model has been announced and they will be in Baku. In 2015. Given that it takes about a century to put together an Olympic Games we can assume that our friends in Azerbaijan move quickly. What we can also assume is that handball will have a role as the EHF have told us it will – and in both indoor and beach versions.
The small field size – eight teams for each gender – should mean it’s a high grade competition but it’s not one I think we should pin too much hope on seeing British teams participate in for quite some time.
Handball Views 
I am hoping that it will be a success and that London will consider bidding to host the 2019 edition, as it would be amazing to see international handball back in the Copper Box. If three years seems too long to wait for the joy of seeing handball tournaments take place in a multi-event setting, then there is some good news. The summer of 2013 will witness not one, but two handball friendly sporting jamborees.
The beach variant will be included in the http://worldgames2013.com.co/ ,which is a showcase for non-Olympic and Extreme Sport. However the most extreme action is likely to be trying to avoid being kidnapped by the Colombian drug gangs, which once roamed through the streets of host city Cali.
The more traditional version has long been a staple of the Mediterranean Games, an event open as the name suggests to those countries which are blessed with both coastline and a warm climate. There are a couple of geographical exceptions to the entrance criteria. Serbia slips in despite the fairly recent reckless decisions which led to the loss of their direct access to open seas. Israel and Gibraltar, however, seem to find that their invitation letters get inexplicably lost in the post every time the Games is due to take place. The Turkish city of Mersin unexpectedly and hurriedly takes the hosting honours, after the original Greek recipients were stripped of the rights following the financial turmoil sweeping the country
The post service in Gibraltar must be terrible – they seem to lose so many invitations.
Oh, and I agree with the idea of bidding for 2019 but I suspect Glasgow with its Commonwealth Games infrastructure may be in a better position. I’m of the opinion that handball should be in the Commonwealth Games anyway.