For several months, whispers in handball circles suggested that the “lionesses” would receive significant reinforcements ahead of the World Championship in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.

It didn’t require extensive deliberation; once Armel Atingre satisfied the IHF’s first condition for national team eligibility—being registered with a club in her desired country of representation for at least three years—it was only a matter of time.

We awaited the finalization of the paperwork, which gained urgency following a serious injury to Marta Batinović, who underwent knee surgery and will face a lengthy recovery after her stellar performances in Scandinavia.

Head coach Bojana Popović and the Handball Association of Montenegro quickly mobilized, gathering all necessary signatures to secure the Buducnost Bemax goalkeeper’s transition to a “lion”.

The authorization from the IHF arrived just in time, allowing the 35-year-old, originally from Kađokro, Ivory Coast, and a member of the French team from 2010 to 2014, to make her debut tomorrow in Zrenjanin.

“Atingre is set to play a crucial role after Marta Batinović’s serious injury from last December’s World Championship, which will keep her out for a significant duration. Alongside Marina Rajčić, the goalkeeper from Ivory Coast is expected to form a robust partnership in goal for the ‘lionesses’, contributing significantly to their main objective this year: securing qualification for the Olympic Games in Paris,” announced RSCG.

The talented athlete, who has been a standout for Budućnost in recent seasons, expressed her joy at being welcomed into the “lionesses”. She has long felt at home with the team, having previously served as part of their coaching staff during the 2022 European Championship, where they clinched bronze.

– I am truly delighted that my country, my teammates, and the coaching staff have embraced me as a new member of the Montenegrin national team. Their confidence in me is paramount. I’m excited to embark on this new chapter, believing wholeheartedly that the fighting spirit of the Montenegrin team mirrors my own. Here’s to a joyous beginning of this wonderful journey – said Atingre, who joined Budućnost in the summer of 2020.

Atingre is not the first naturalized “lioness” and certainly won’t be the last; she is the second to represent Montenegro who is neither from the region nor originally from the former Yugoslavia. The first was former Budućnost player, Hungarian Gabriela Kindle, who participated in Montenegro’s first major competition, the European Championship in Denmark in 2010.

Most naturalized female players have hailed from Serbia and earned respect in the Budućnost jersey. One of the most notable was Bojana Popović, who, in 2008, chose to represent her adopted nation, having been named the world’s top handball player. Likewise, Sanja Jovović, Ana Radović, and Mirjana Milenković exclusively played for FR Yugoslavia (or Serbia and Montenegro), while Katarina Bulatović and Ana Djokić had to wait three years before being eligible after their last appearances for Serbia.

For the Lionesses, Alma Hasanić, originally from Bosnia and Herzegovina but raised in Norway, defended for several years, making her debut for the world’s leading national team. Additionally, players born in Denmark, like Ilda Kepić and Anastasia Marsenić, along with two Croatian athletes—Batinović and Matea Pletikošić—also received citizenship.

Atingre, therefore, becomes the 13th player to acquire Montenegrin citizenship by “decree” to represent the “lionesses”. Some of her predecessors left a lasting impact, while others played more limited roles.

Acquiring Atingre’s talents will prove worthwhile if Montenegro qualifies for the Olympic Games in Paris, competing against Germany, Slovenia, and Paraguay in the tournament scheduled for April 11-14 in Ulm.

If they fail to achieve this goal, questions may arise regarding why Anastasia Babović, Ljubica Nenezić, or other players weren’t given a chance…

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