Yesterday in Basle/Switzerland FORUM CLUB HANDBALL (FCH) held the first official meeting with International Handball Federation (IHF), represented by President Dr. Hassan Moustafa, 1^st Vice-President Miguel Roca, Amal Khalifa and Patrick Strub (Office).

Major topics of professional club handball were discussed.

‘It was a good and open minded meeting. We offer our support to IHF and IHF offers support to the clubs in all aspects of Professional Handball!’ commented FCH-President Tomaz Jersic.  

The FCH representatives, President Jersic/RK Celje and the two Vice-Presidents Marin/BM Ciudad Real  + Schmäschke/HSV Handball, were invited to the upcoming IHF-Congress in Marrakesh. GB

According to internal studies of GCH about 15 injuries have been registered during the WCH in Sweden 2011. For the first time in history the IHF insured the player salaries in favour of the clubs. According to our (not official) information the compensation will be paid starting from the 15th day after the injury and for a maximum period of 3 month. The monthly compensation is limited to a maximum of 15.000 Euros. The compensation will be paid to the Federation where the player has a working contract. Clubs from all continents will benefit from the insurance which has been demanded by GCH since 2006. GB

On the fringes of the 22^nd IHF World Championship, taking place currently in Sweden, the leading clubs of Europe from Gothenburg, Dublin, Hamburg, Istanbul, Minsk, Ciudad Real and others met in Copenhagen to discuss the situation of European Club Handball.

In the first part of the meeting EHF Secretary General M. Wiederer informed about the Professional Handball Board (PHB). EHF Head Competitions M. Glaser explained possible options for changes of the European Cups system.

The meeting participants discussed pros and cons of a merger of EHF Cup and Cup Winners Cup and the possibilities of and experiences with Cross Boarder Competitions.

In the second part of the meeting the relation between clubs and IHF was analysed. For the first time during the presidency of Hassan Moustafa club representatives had official contacts with IHF. IHF established an insurance for injured players in favor of the clubs and pays compensation to clubs, releasing players to the World Championship.

Nevertheless the communication between IHF was not regarded to be sufficient. The board of FCH was advised to establish a structural dialogue with IHF.

The relation between IHF and FCH will be one of the major topics of the next FCH meeting, taking place on 28^th May 2011 in Cologne, Germany. GB

The next ordinary meetings of GROUP CLUB HANDBALL EEIG (GCH) and FORUM CLUB HANDBALL (FCH) will take place on 18/19.1.2011 in Copenhagen Airport. The according invitations were distributed today. Main topics of the meeting will be the future structure of the European Cup and the relation between European Top Clubs and International Handball Federation (IHF). For more details please see our page ‘Forum Club Handball’. GB

The first meeting of the newly established PROFESSIONAL HANDBALL BOARD (PHB) will take place in Vienna (AUT) on 24.11.2010. The representatives of Clubs, National Federations and EHF will define the tasks of the body and a timetable. A chairman – who will represent the PHB inside the EHF Executive Committee – will be elected. 
The club organisation FORUM CLUB HANDBALL (FCH) will be represented by Vice-President Joan Marin/Renovalia Ciudad Real and General Manager Gerd Butzeck. Player and League organisations will join PHB at a later stage. GB

The 15th ordinary General Assembly of GCH will take place in Cap Rocat, Mallorca, Spain on 4.10.2010. The leading clubs of Europe will discuss the results of the first GCH meeting with IHF on 17.9.2010 in Basle and the outcome of the EHF Congress, held last weekend in Basle.

The major topic of the meeting will be the restructuring of the various European Cups in order to adopt the system to the needs of the clubs. The next FCH meeting, taking place in January in Sweden on the fringes of the IHF World Championship, will discuss the ideas of GCH in order to prepare proposals for the new Professional Handball Board (PHB). GB

On 24th September 2010 the 10th ordinary Congress of the European Handball Federation (EHF) approved the ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ (MoU), signed by EHF President Tor Lian and FCH President Tomaz Jersic on 29.5.2010 in Cologne. The according motion reached a 85% majority. 

The MoU serves as basis for the further cooperation of clubs and federations in professional European handball.

At the same time the Congress implemented the ‘Professional Handball Board’ (PHB) into the statutes of EHF. In the future the PHB shall represent interests of clubs, leagues, players and federations and advise the EHF Executive Committee in all questions regarding professionell handball. GB

Historical moment for GROUP CLUB HANDBALL EEIG – CIRCLE OF THE BEST and FORUM CLUB HANDBALL – HEART OF THE GAME: For the first time during his presidency the President of the International Handball Federation (IHF) Dr. Hassan Moustafa officially invited the presidents of both club organisations Joan Marin (BM Ciudad Real) and Tomaz Jersic (Celje Pivovarna Lasko) to a meeting with the presidents of Europes leading handball nations. The meeting will take place on 17th September 2010 in Basle/Switzerland. On the agenda: ‘Exchange of opinions’, ie ‘Competitions Calendar’ and ‘Appearance Fee’.  GB

On 29.5.2010 the 3rd General Assembly of FORUM CLUB HANDBALL – THE HEART OF THE GAME elected the following persons into office:

FCH Board (Club body)

Board member Nation ranked No 1: Dierk Schmaeschke/Hamburg (Deputy: Volker Zerbe/Lemgo)

Board member Nation ranked No 2: Joan Marin/Ciudad Real (Deputy: Xavier O’Callaghan/Barcelona)

Board member Nation ranked No 3-6: Jens Boesen/Kolding (Deputy: Robert Molines/Montpellier)

Board member Nation ranked No 7-12: Tomaz Jersic/Celje (Deputy: Ante Ancic/Zagreb)

Board member Nation ranked No 13-49: Board member: Radek Wasiak/Kielce (Deputy: Knut Waage/Fyllingen)

President: Tomaz Jersic/Celje

Vice-President: Joan Marin/Ciudad Real

Vice-President: Dierk Schmaeschke/Hamburg

Board member: Jens Boesen/Kolding

Board member: Radek Wasiak/Kielce

Managing Director: Dr. Gerd Butzeck

Men’s Club Marketing Board (EHFM body)

Holger Kaiser/Flensburg (new, replacing Volker Zerbe/Lemgo)

Xavier O’Callaghan/Barcelona

Ante Ancic/Zagreb

Tomaz Jersic/Celje

Jens Boesen/Kolding

Men’s Club Committee (EHF body)

Joan Marin/Ciudad Real

Uli Derad/Kiel (new, replacing M. Werner/German League)

Radek Wasiak/Kielce (new, replacing Vasile Stinga)

Robert Molines/Montpellier

Peter Leutwyler/Kadetten

Professional Handball Board (new body)

Joan Marin/Ciudad Real

Dr. Gerd Butzeck/Managing Director FCH

On 30.5.2010 at 14:22 hours Tor Lian, President of European Handball Federation (EHF), M. Wiederer, General Secretary of EHF, Tomaz Jersic, President of FORUM CLUB HANDBALL (FCH) and Joan Marin President of GROUP CLUB HANDBALL EEIG (GCH) signed the ‘Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)’ which in the future will serve as basis for cooperation between Top European Professional Handball Clubs and EHF.

‘This is a milestone in the relation between clubs and EHF’ said the FCH President, not denying the hard work which had to be done through the last years. ‘All European Top Clubs will benefit from the agreement in terms of compensation for release of players, insurance, representation and calendar questions’.

For more details about the MoU please click our page: ‘Forum Club Handball’.

FCH is now recognized by EHF and therefore are an integral part of the Handball family.

As a consequence the GCH complaint lodged with the European Commission was withdrawn today.   

In a first FCH action President Jersic offered support to International Handball Federation (IHF) in all questions regarding professional handball. GB