THF President Mesut Çebi: 'We Will Elevate Turkish Handball to New Heights'
Mesut Çebi, the President of the Turkish Handball Federation (THF), expressed his confidence in the success of the Turkish Women's National Team at the EHF 2024 Women's European Handball Championship, which begins on November 28 in Hungary.
Highlighting their ambition to bring Turkish handball to the forefront of the sports world, Çebi said:
"This is our first participation in a European Championship, and we are excited about it. We want to show Turkish and European handball fans what this team is capable of. We have a long road ahead, but I firmly believe that we will represent our country with the pride and determination befitting Turkish youth. I wish our athletes the best of luck."
Focused on Competing with Determination
Stressing that the quality of their opponents in the tournament does not matter, Çebi added:
"I believe we will surprise everyone with the dedication of our athletes. Of course, it won't be easy, but why not? I never think of any match as 'easy' or 'difficult.' We will fight like lions in every single game."
Step by Step, Making History
Çebi emphasized that Turkish handball is on a historic journey:
"This is just the beginning. Next, we must also bring our men's team to a European Championship. Hopefully, we will see quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals, raising Turkish handball to new heights. We are committed to making history, step by step."
He also recalled hosting the U-17 Women’s European Championship group qualifiers in Ankara: "The more competitive our youth national teams are, the better they will perform when they join the senior team. We recently advanced from the B Division to the A Division. Hopefully, we will play in finals and win championships there as well. We are taking every necessary step to achieve this."
The Ultimate Goal: Olympic Games
Çebi stated that the ultimate goal is to qualify for the Olympics and eventually compete in the finals: "This is not an easy process. First, we need to develop a handball culture and awareness in our country, and we must change the perception of the sport. We need to recreate an exciting atmosphere for the game. In our match against Germany, this arena was perhaps the fullest it has ever been. The sounds of children, drums, their joy, and laughter motivated us greatly. In the future, we want to create this same atmosphere not just in 2,000-seat arenas but in venues with 5,000 to 10,000 seats."
