Chelyabinsk handball girls forfeit after train crash
A girls' handball team from Chelyabinsk was given a technical loss after a train derailment delayed their arrival, adding nearly 24 hours to their journey.
Apr 28, 2026 0
Investigators released these images from the scene of the rail accident.
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Schoolgirls from Chelyabinsk were given a technical loss in a match against Rostov at the all-Russian handball competition. The team could not arrive on time due to the derailment of freight cars in the Kirov region. The rail incident forced a re-routing of passenger trains, increasing the athletes« travel time by nearly a day.
Parents received notifications like this about the train reroute and delay.
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«The team was on train No. 1 Vladivostok — Moscow,» one of the mothers told 74.RU. «This train was turned around en route and sent on a detour around the accident. As a result, travel time increased by +21 hours. The opponent that day was supposed to be Rostov. They refused to take into account the incident along the train«s route and requested a technical loss. Unsportsmanlike behavior even in youth sports.»
The match was canceled, but the children were not at fault.
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On the afternoon of 1 February, more than 20 freight train cars derailed on the Orici — Shalegovo stretch of the Gorky Railway. No one was injured in the incident, but about 900 meters of track required restoration. To deal with the aftermath, 300 people, two recovery trains, and specialized equipment were deployed. It was reported that 20 passenger trains were delayed, including the Vladivostok — Moscow service.
The Chelyabinsk team was credited with a loss with a score of 0:10. And although the competition in Yaroslavl is still ongoing, parents worry that the children now have no chance of good results.
«The championship continues, but with a technical loss in the first game, the girls have an unequal chance, or rather, none at all. Since it«s counted as a straight loss,» one mother explained. «We made a request, asking to play this game at any other time, but were refused.»
The administration of Chelyabinsk reported that they had gotten involved in the issue.
«Of course, the city is aware. The Department of Physical Culture and Sports and the school leadership tried to resolve this situation through the country«s handball federation,» the mayor»s office commented. «However, the regulations of the Russian championship stipulate that if a team does not take the field, regardless of the reasons, they may be given a technical loss by the decision of the opponents. Unfortunately, this is exactly the situation that happened with our athletes. The team has a technical loss, and it is impossible to appeal this decision.»
Recall, this is not the only such situation recently. This morning, Russian Railways (RZD) reported a delay of the Moscow — Chelyabinsk train due to an accident involving a fuel truck on the tracks.
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