By Thomas Berndt
A high risk of injuries is one of the worst aspects of handball. Joint and ligamenta cruciata injuries are feared the most and countless times the spectators have had to see another victim be carried off the court their faces twisted in agony.

However, EHF President, Swedish Staffan Holmqvist, believes that the much discussed floor will minimise the risk of injuries. The floor is designed to give a millimetre when people fall or step on it.

'If you fall or slip, you won't be hurt so easily. We will see a fewer serious injuries,' says Holmqvist. However, physiotherapist for the Danish national team, Gorm Rasmussen, is of a different opinion. When presented with the EHF President's statements, he says: 'I completely disagree. It may be that the floor's ability to stretch will make a difference but in return the players get more tired from running on the new floor than they would on a wooden floor and so using my common sense and by listening to what the players say, I would prefer a normal wooden floor,' says Gorm Rasmussen. He praises the regular wooden floor in Arenaen: 'No floor is better suited for handball,' he says.

Two investigations which are to asses the qualities of the yellow floor are on the way. The number of matches - eight in ten days - have also caused concern. However, so far Euro 2002 has been spared serious injuries but most people agree that the schedule is too exhausting. Thus an extra day without matches, which is to be placed in the preliminary round, will be added at both women's and men's European Championships in 2004 in Hungary and Slovenia respectively.