The ordinary Board meeting season 14/15 took place in Spain on 20. Oct 2014. It was a historical meeting in two aspects: For the first time ever the leadership of the Men’s and the Women’s Forum met in order to share experiences during a common dinner and for the first time ever an IHF guest attend FCH: the 1. Vice-President Miguel Roca.

In the first part of the meeting the board of FCH dealt with reports and ordinary business. Radek Wasiak/Kielce was nominated FCH representative of the EHF Competition Commission.

In the second part the FCH lawyers Prof Duvinage and Dr. Heesch informed on the complaint, lodged by 17 Bundesliga-Clubs against the German Federation (DHB) and the International Handball Federation (IHF). The Clubs won the first instance.

The court Landgericht Dortmund decided the following: For the German Handball Federation DHB and the Internationale Handball Föderation (IHF) it is prohibited

a)  to oblige the plaintiffs to release their foreign National team player employees to the according National Teams and/or

b)  in case that the plaintiffs do not act according to the request oft he foreign National Federation to punish the plaintiffs or to enforce the punishment of the plaintiffs

The third part was devoted to the discussion with the IHF representative which took place in a positive athmosphere. FCH welcomed the initiative of the IHF Council to limit the number of national team days to 60 per year. Anyhow it was stated that the IHF Council has the right to change this regulation at any time. Roca underlined that this was the first official meeting between IHF and FCH, the World Federation and the Clubs are on a good way. From his point of view it should be possible to come to a written agreement in the near future. Further contacts were envisaged.

The first joint board meeting of Women and Men Forum Club Handball representatives will take place in Spain on 20./21. October 2014.  Top issue during the Men’s Forum will be the complaint of 17 German Bundesliga-Clubs against the German Handball Federation (DHB) and International Handall Federation (IHF). IHF 1. Vice-President Miguel Roca will attend the meeting and explain the position of the world federation.

The Women’s Forum will have to discuss targets and a strategy for the next years. One of the points on the agenda will be the WOMEN PROFESSIONAL HANDBALL LEAGUE. The concept of this league will be presented by Managing Director Biljana Crvenkoska.

Internationale Handball Federation (IHF) President Dr. Hassan Moustafa conveyed his ‘heartfelt congratulations’ to Joan Marin on his election as President Forum Club Handball (FCH).

‘I wish you every success in your tasks and challenges and look forward to cooperating with you for the benefit of the further development of our sport.’

The congratulations were accompanied by an invitation to visit the match of the ‘IHF World Selection’ vs the Egypt National Team in favor of a Cairo Hospital for children with cancer.

On 1st June the 12th General Assembly of Forum Club Handball elected a new board. Joan Marin/Spain unanimously was elected as new President, Dierk Schmäschke/Flensburg and Bertus Servaas/Kielce became Vice-Presidents. Further board members are Jens Boesen/Kolding-Copenhagen and Karl Lofmark/Lund.

The elections in detail:

1.  Election Board Member Nation ranked 1 (GER)

Candidate Board member: Dierk Schmäschke/Flensburg

was elected unanimously with one abstention.

2.  Election Board Member Nation ranked 2 (ESP)

Candidate Board member: Joan Marin/proposed by the Board

was elected unanimously with one abstention.

3.  Election Board Member Nations ranked 3-6 (FRA, DEN, SLO, HUN)

DEN Candidate Board member: Jens Boesen/Kolding-Copenhagen

SLO Candidate Board member: Tomaz Jersic/Celje

FRA Candidate Board member: Robert Molines/Montpellier withdrew his candidature before the election and announced that he will be only candidate as deputy board member.

A secret election took place. Jens Boesen was elected as board member.

4.  Election Board Member Nations ranked 7-12 (RUS, SUI, CRO, MKD, POL, BLR)

POL Candidate Board member: Bertus Servaas/Kielce

was elected unanimously with one abstention.

B. Servaas was not present, as he received an important honor in Poland on the same day.

5.  Election Board Member Nations ranked 13-50 (ROU, SWE, POR, NOR, SRB, UKR, GRE, … IRL

SWE Candidate Board member: Karl Lofmark/Lund

GRE Candidate Board member: Stathis Papachartofilis/Doukas Athens

IRL Candidate Board member: Magnus Clarke/Dublin

A secret election took place. Karl Lofmark was elected as board member.

6.  Election Deputy Board Member Nation ranked 1 (GER)

Candidate Dep Board member: Sabine Holdorf-Schust/Kiel was elected unanimously with one abstention.

7.  Election DeputyBoard Member Nation ranked 2 (ESP)

Candidate Dep Board member: Xavier O’Callaghan/Barelona was elected unanimously with one abstention.

8.  Election Deputy Board Member Nations ranked 3-6 (FRA, DEN, SLO, HUN)

SLO Candidate Dep Board member: Tomaz Jersic/Celje withdrew his candidature in favor of Robert Molines.

FRA Candidate Dep Board member: Robert Molines/Montpellier was elected unanimously with one abstention.

9.  Election Deputy Board Member Nations ranked 7-12 (RUS, SUI, CRO, MKD, POL, BLR)

SUI Candiate Dep Candidate Board member: Peter Leutwyler/Kadetten Schaffhausen was elected unanimously with one abstention.

10.         Election Deputy Board Member Nations ranked 13-50 (ROU, SWE, POR, NOR, SRB, UKR, GRE, … IRL

GRE Candidate Board member: Stathis Papachartofilis/Doukas Athens

IRL Candidate Dep Board member: Magnus Clarke/Dublin

Clarke was elected as Deputy Board member in secret election.

Further positions were elected:

FCH treasurer: Dierk Schmäschke/Flensburg

FCH comptroller: Gerd Hofele/Göppingen

FCH member of the EHF Professional Handball Board: Joan Marin/Spain and Gerd Butzeck/FCH

FCH member of the EHF Men’s Club Marketing Board: Xavi O’Callaghan/Barcelona and Sabine Holdorf-Schust/Kiel

FCH member of the EHFM Advisory Board: Nomination delegated to the FCH-Board

Further decisions were taken:

Discharge: The assembly granted discharge to the outgoing board.

Women Forum Club Handball: FCH will cooperate with Women Forum Club Handball. An according agreement will be signed.

Budget: The Budget for the period 1.7.2014 – 30.6.2016 was adopted.

Refereeing: It was proposed to replace the head of the refereeing by an international committee of experts. This shall reduce the pressure on the current head of refereeing and give a better feeling to the participating teams. The proposal was supported by the assembly unanimously. It was decided that an according proposal for EHF shall be prepared.

World selection: The FCH General Assembly decided that in the future FCH member clubs will release players to EHF/IHF Selection matches only, if date, compensation for the clubs and insurance of the player salaries in case of injury are agreed between FCH and EHF/IHF. This decision does not concern the upcoming match of the World Selection in Egypt in favor of a children cancer hospital.

Next Assembly: The next General Assembly will not take place in Qatar. The new board will decide, if and where to organize a FCH General Assembly in January 2015.

During the 12th FCH General Assembly elections will be held.

Venue: Art’otel Cologne, Holzmarkt 4, 50676 Cologne from 9:30h – 14:00h.

The period for nominations of FCH board members for the period 2014-2016 expired on 18th May 2014.

The following candidates were nominated:

ELECTIONS Board member   

1. Election Board Member Nation ranked 1 (GER)

   Candidate Board member: Dierk Schmäschke/Flensburg

2. Election Board Member Nation ranked 2 (ESP)

   Candidate Board member: Joan Marin/proposed by the Board

3. Election Board Member Nations ranked 3-6 (FRA, DEN, SLO, HUN)

   FRA Candidate Board member: Robert Molines/Montpellier

   DEN Candidate Board member: Jens Boesen/Kolding-Copenhagen

   SLO Candidate Board member: Tomaz Jersic/Celje

4. Election Board Member Nation ranked 7-12 (RUS, SUI, CRO, MKD, POL, BLR)

   POL Candidate Board member: Bertus Servaas/Kielce

5. Election Board Member Nation ranked 13-50 (ROU, SWE, POR, NOR, SRB, UKR, GRE, … IRL

   SWE Candidate Board member: Karl Lofmark/Lund

   GRE Candidate Board member: Stathis Papachartofilis/Doukas Athens

   IRL Candidate Board member: Magnus Clarke/Dublin

ELECTIONS Deputy board member

1. Election Deputy Board Member Nation ranked 1 (GER)

   Candidate Dep Board member: Sabine Holdorf-Schust/Kiel

2. Election DeputyBoard Member Nation ranked 2 (ESP)

   Candidate Dep Board member: Xavier O’Callaghan/Barelona

3. Election Deputy Board Member Nations ranked 3-6 (FRA, DEN, SLO, HUN)

   FRA Candidate Dep Board member: Robert Molines/Montpellier

   DEN Candidate Dep Board member: Jens Boesen/Kolding-Copenhagen

   SLO Candidate Dep Board member: Tomaz Jersic/Celje

4. Election Deputy Board Member Nation ranked 7-12 (RUS, SUI, CRO, MKD, POL, BLR)

   SUI Candiate Dep Candidate Board member: Peter Leutwyler/Kadetten Schaffhausen

5. Election Deputy Board Member Nation ranked 13-50 (ROU, SWE, POR, NOR, SRB, UKR, GRE, … IRL

   SWE Candidate Dep Board member: Karl Lofmark/Lund

   GRE Candidate Dep Board member: Stathis Papachartofilis/Doukas Athens

   IRL Candidate Dep Board member: Magnus Clarke/Dublin

G. Butzeck/Election supervisor

Herewith we invite all FCH member clubs to the 12^th General Assembly of Forum Club Handball (FCH), taking place

on 1^st June 2014 from 9.30 till 14 hours at

Art’otel Cologne, Holzmarkt 4, 50676 Köln/Germany, Tel +49 221 801030

http://www.artotels.com/cologne-hotel-de-50676/gercoart

This invitation is addressed to all FCH Members which are the:

• Top 24 Championsleague teams
• Top 32 EHF Cup teams
• Top 16 Challenge Cup teams
• All National Champions 2013
• All teams, leading in the National Championship on 1^st April 2014

The arrival of the participants is scheduled Saturday, 31^st May 2014 in the morning. In the afternoon all club representatives will attend the Semi-Finals of the VELUX EHF Championsleague Final4 event.

The 12^th General Assembly will take place on Sunday, 1^st June 2014 from 9.30 – 14.00 hours in the hotel. All participants are invited to attend the Finals of the VELUX EHF Championsleague season 2013/14.  After the Meeting the participants will have the possibility to watch the finals of the VELUX EHF Championsleague Final4.

Meeting Agenda:

1. Opening/Welcome of Guests
2. Role Call
3. Approval of the Minutes of the 11^th FCH General Assembly
4. Reports 2012 – 2014

• FCH President Jersic, incl. Men’s Club Marketing Board (MCMB)
• FCH Vice-President Marin, incl. EHF Executive Committee
• FCH Vice-President Schmaeschke, incl. IHF Matters
• FCH General Manager Butzeck, incl. ‘Professional Handball Board’ (PHB) Matters
• FCH President Jersic – New ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ (MoU)
• Comptroller Gerd Hofele, Finances
• Discussion

5. Discharge Finances

6. Discharge Board/Office holders

7. Nomination of the Election Supervisor

8. Elections

9. Cooperation with WFCH/Decision

10. Budget 2014-2016

11. Miscellaneous

12. Closing

All FCH members are requested to forward proposals for FCH board member candidates. A detailed information on the election procedure will follow here.

We kindly ask you to register for the meeting via e-mail to office@forumclubhandball.com until 5^th May 2014, 12:00 hours am. For more detailed information please go to ‘Next General Assembly’.

Due to heavy workload and easter Holidays the German Court Landgericht Dortmund will not announce a decision on 23rd April, but  only on 14th May 2014.

During todays draws of the EHF-Cup- and VELUX EHF CL-Quarterfinals the presidents of the European Handball Federation (EHF) Jean Brihault and Forum Club Handball (FCH) Tomaz Jersic prolonged the current MoU (signed in May 2010) until June 2018. The new MoU had been discussed for more than one year during the FCH General Assemblies and in various meetings with the EHF Leadership. ‘We had tough but correct negotiations with FCH’, underlined Jean Brihault. The modified MoU foresees increased fees for release of players to the European Championships and, for the first time, a FCH representation in the EHFM Advisory Board, the decision taking body in the structure of EHFM. ‘This will be the most important for the clubs’, underlined Tomaz Jersic after signing the document. ‘In the future the clubs will sit at the table when the decisions will be taken!’ All details of the MoU will be presented to the FCH General Assembly in Cologne on 1^st June 2014.

Another day in court: Yesterday the lawyers of 17 Clubs of the HBL, the German Handball Federation (DHB) and the International Handball Federation (IHF) met at the court Landgericht Dortmund. Judge Harbort will anounce a decision end of April 2014.

The history: On 2. April 2013 the 17 German Clubs

THW Kiel

SG Flensburg-Handewitt

HSV Hamburg

TSV Hannover-Burgdorf

Rhein-Neckar-Lions

Frisch-Auf! Göppingen

TBV Lemgo

MT Melsungen

TUS Nettelstedt-Lübbecke

HBW Balingen-Weilstetten

VFL Gummersbach

GWD Minden

TV Grosswallstadt

TuSEM Essen

TV Emsdetten

Bergischer HC

ASV Hamm

lodged a complaint against International Handball Federation (IHF) and Deutscher Handball Bund (DHB).

IHF and DHB shall be adjudged to refrain from obligating the Clubs to second their employed foreign handball players upon demand of their respective national federations for measures of said national federations.

The complaint is the result of a non-communication between the club representations GROUP CLUB HANDBALL EEIG (GCH) and Forum Club Handball eV (FCH) which started in 2006 when GCH proposed its support to IHF in matters of professional handball without any response.

In 2010 EHF and GCH/FCH signed a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ (MoU), regulating the implementation of Club representatives into the bodies of EHF and EHF Marketing GmbH, compensation for release of players to the National teams, insurance and calendar questions. The current MoU expires end of this season and is expected to be renewed shortly.

According agreements do exist in Football between European Club Association (ECA) on the one hand and UEFA/FIFA on the other hand.

During the course of 2010+2011 GCH/FCH led negotiations with IHF. IHF press releases spoke about historical meetings with club representatives.

In January 2011 for the first time in history IHF paid compensation for release of players to the World Championship and signed an insurance for player salaries for injured players in favor of the clubs.

In May 2011 the IHF Council proposed to the IHF Marrakesh Congress to integrate the clubs as stakeholders into the IHF bylaws. This implementation was not agreed with the clubs. The clubs were supposed to fulfill a big number of obligations without getting any rights. This proposal fortunately and reasonably was refused by a number of European Federations. It was not adopted.

Anyhow IHF continued negotiations with FCH. In December 2011 FCH received the information, that ‘the President welcomes the proposal of a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’’.

In March 2012 IHF changed its point of view and refused a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’, using the Marrakesh Congress decision as argumentation. FCH was informed that ‘We are unable to discuss a MoU at present’.

In May 2012 the FCH General Assembly decided to take all necessary measures to achieve a written agreement with IHF.

Further letters of FCH to IHF and an invitation to a meeting remained without answer.

Im Sportradio 360 berichtet Sascha Staat unter der Rubrik ‘Kreis ab’ in regelmässigen Abständen über aktuelle Themen des Handballs.

In der Episonde 14 geht es um die Historie von GROUP CLUB HANDBALL und FORUM CLUB HANDBALL in der Episode 15 um aktuelle Themen zum Handball in Europa. Gesprächspartner ist in beiden Fällen der Geschäftsführer des FCH, Gerd Butzeck.

Teil 1: http://sportradio360.de/kreis-ab-episode-14/

Teil 2: http://sportradio360.de/kreis-ab-episode-15/