News
Under the leadership of Chairman Sergey Shishkarev, the Supreme Council of the Handball Federation of Russia (HFR) convened to review the results of the 2024/2025 season and approve key documents outlining the competition format for the upcoming year.
Significant changes are planned for the women’s OLIMPBET Super League: the second part of the preliminary stage has been canceled, with adjustments to the playoff format compensating for the reduced number of games. According to the new rules, the first round of the playoffs (quarterfinals) will be played in a best-of-three series. The same format will apply to the classification series for 5th – 8th places. The semifinals will now be played in a best-of-five series.
The Council also approved the dates for the national Super Cups: Zenit vs. CSKA will be held on August 23, followed by Rostov-Don vs. CSKA on August 30. In another decision, the HFR will now publish referee ratings twice per season — at the end of the preliminary stage and at the conclusion of the championship.
“At the meeting with the Supreme Council members, we discussed the performance of referees, television broadcasting, and the structure of next season’s Russian championships, including new initiatives for women’s teams,” said Sergey Shishkarev. “A key topic was unsportsmanlike conduct on the court, especially during the final stages of the national championship. We’re not looking to criticize anyone right now, but we will consider disciplinary measures in cases where players or coaches use profanity during matches.”
Shishkarev added that repeat violations will result in fines or suspensions, up to and including disqualification from all remaining games in the season. These sanctions will also apply to club officials and fans in cases of misconduct.
At a press conference following the meeting, Shishkarev congratulated Zenit St. Petersburg on winning the OLIMPBET Super League final series. The victory marked the club’s first national championship title in 32 years.
Regarding the possible return of Russian teams to European competitions, Shishkarev expressed optimism about the upcoming International Handball Federation (IHF) elections, which he believes could "change the situation." While he did not rule out the possibility of running for IHF president himself, he emphasized that no decision has been made.
The election of the new IHF president will take place during the congress in Cairo this December. Earlier reports noted that the HFR Supreme Council had proposed Sergey Shishkarev as a potential candidate for the role.