Sport Handball-EM
Embarrassing anthem breakdown at the Germany game
As of: 9:14 p.m. | Reading time: 2 minutes
At least they were ready: Iceland’s players are waiting for the anthem
Those: dpa/Federico Gambarini
The German team will meet Iceland at the start of the main round of the European Handball Championship. Before the throw-off in the Cologne hall there was an embarrassing mistake. The Icelandic anthem is played incorrectly. The fans react in an exemplary manner.
The national anthem had already been discussed in the days before the game. Finally, national coach Alfred Gislason meets his home country with the German national team at the European Handball Championship: “I will sing both national anthems, even if it will be difficult. I will do everything to win this game. I can guarantee that. I’m Icelandic, but I work with the German team and love this team,” the Icelander said before the game.
However, singing along requires that the appropriate song is also being played. Gislason had no problems with this during the German national anthem. Like the entire team, the 64-year-old sang along. Then the Icelandic one should follow. The national players stood at attention, but then looked puzzled at the sounds coming from the speakers in the Cologne Arena, which was sold out with 19,750 spectators. Obviously an anthem was played, but it wasn’t the Icelandic one. Or is it?
Special duel: National coach Alfred Gislason meets his home country
Source: dpa/Sören Stache
The music was blaring, lame. The song sounded distorted and wrong. There were always cracks, like a record. The anthem was correct, but technical problems distorted the national anthem. “Once a round of applause for the Icelandic team. “It can happen that the DJ…” said the hall announcer, but didn’t finish the sentence.
Fans react in an exemplary manner
After about 20 seconds, the audience saw an employee of the organizers gesticulating excitedly and telling the hall disc jockey to stop playing. There were whistles from the fans and the Icelandic national players shook their heads. What was that?
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An embarrassing mishap that resulted in a short break of about a minute. Finally, a correct version had to be found. At least the fans showed the right hand. Shouts of “Iceland, Iceland” filled the hall until the national anthem of the Nordic island state actually rang out in the well-known version – and Gislason, as well as the fans of the German opponent, were able to sing along: “Oh, God of our country! Oh, our country’s God! We revere your holy, holy name…”