By Rasmus Holm Thomsen
'Pull together your jumble of old Austrian women and big Eastern European lumps of women. Throw their walking aids away and give an extra wiener schnitzel to those who appreciate such a thing'.

This is how sports editor, Peter Brüchmann, describes the Austrian national team in today's edition of the Danish tabloid B.T. In his comment he encourages Ole Eliassen to get the Austrian team to do their best in tonight's match against France. Later in his comment, he refers to Austrian left wing, Barbara Strass, as 'the flying meatball'.

This comment has made the Austrian handball federation react very strongly. In a letter to B.T., which has also been sent to DHF and EHF, the Austrian handball federation urges Peter Brüchmann to offer a public apology to the players.

But Peter Brüchmann has no intentions of doing so. 'The language in my comment is not different from the language in any other comment. It is completely ordinary', says the sports editor and adds:
'I draw a parallel to the Swedish national team where Ljubomir Vranjes is called the flying meatball. But apparently women and men perceive these things differently', says Peter Brüchmann. He also refers to the high age average on both teams.

The B.T. sports editor does not think that he has crossed the line for what you can write and he does not think that he has made fun of anyone either. 'I do not think that I have made fun of anyone and it is not like I attack the Austrian national team's ability to play handball', says Peter Brüchmann. In any case, the B.T. sports editor does not plan to give the Austrian players an apology. 'Maybe we should send them some video tapes of old Danish comedies. I think they have lost their sense of humour. As far as an apology goes they can forget about it', says Peter Brüchmann. No one from the Austrian delegation wishes to make further statements in the matte