The Danish TV Station TV published a documentary on match-fixing in Handball on 5^th July (part I) and 12^th July 2023 (part II).

Match-fixing can not be accepted by any sports bodies, as it harms the integrity and therefore the basis of any sports. This holds true for IHF, EHF, National Federations, Leagues, Clubs, match officials, team officials, referees and players.

FCH requests its member clubs on regular basis to follow the rules of EHF and National Federations, prohibiting betting of players and team officials on the outcome of Handball matches.

Attempts of match-fixing shall be reported to EHF or anonymously to https://report.whistleb.com/ehf. The link to the reporting platform is not available via the EHF website as this could allow tracking of individual IP addresses and the potential identification of the individual.

SPORTRADAR is a company monitoring the betting market on behalf of the various stakeholders, ie Federations, Leagues and Betting companies. In 2018 SPORTRADAR produced  a report on suspicious betting activities/match-fixing in Handball.

The report says itself that it does not contain any proofs for match-fixing in European Handball. Anyhow it contains indications on suspicious referees/refereeing.

The report was discussed on various levels in EHF and FCH. It was agreed to

1. present the materials to the Austrian police authorities
2. professionalize the EHF refereeing system
3. present the materials to the internal EHF legal system

Concerning 1.: The Austrian authorities provided the materials to Europol for further investigation.

Concerning 2: EHF and FCH started to discuss changes in the refereeing system. One of the outcomes of these discussion was the decision that as of the season 19/20 the EHF Competitions Committee member  Refereeing Dragan Nachevski was no longer responsible for the nominations of referees in European Cup competitions.  

Concerning 3: The matches were analyzed by EHF and FCH experts without finding indications for match fixing. As there were no proofs, no legal case was opened in 2018/19.

FCH wants to underline that all decisions were taken jointly. During the whole period a permanent exchange of information between the EHF and FCH took place.

FCH welcomed and supported the steps, taken by EHF.

The core of the documentary is a conversation in January 2020 between the former EHF Competitions Commission member Refereeing Dragan Nachevski and an actor, pretending to be a chinese business man with interests to register a Chinese Handball team in SEHA league. The conversation was recorded by TV2 with a hidden camera.

During the conversation the actor/businessman makes attempts to involve Nachevski in match-fixing. The attempts are denied by Nachevski.

At the same time Nachevski continues speaking to the actor/businessman in a friendly manner. He did not inform the European Handball Federation about the conversation for three years.

EHF received of a video copy of the conversation from TV2 on 23^rd May 2023. The Executive Committee of EHF decided to release Nachevski from his in duties in an extraordinary meeting with immediate effect only two days later – on 25^th May 2023. The Court of Handball opened a case against Nachevski.

FCH welcomes the decision of the EHF Executive Committee.

At the same time FCH wants to underline that a European body like the EHF can not and should not take measures on the basis of unproven allegations. EHF acted consequently and transparently at all times.

FCH calls on EHF to take all necessary measures to avoid match-fixing in the future.

?Herr Schmäschke, zunächst einmal Gratulation, ab heute sind Sie Präsident der SG! An Ihrem ersten Amtstag treten auch die neuen ‚IHF Regulations for Transfers‘ in Kraft. Welche Änderungen ergeben sich daraus für die Clubs?

Danke für die Blumen. Ich wünsche meinem Nachfolger Holger Glandorf alles Gute.

Die Änderungen für die Clubs sind relativ einfach zu beschreiben: Wenn ein Spielervermittler die Interessen eines Spielers vertritt, dann muss der Spieler seinen Agenten bezahlen.

?Das klingt zunächst einmal logisch. Wo ist die grosse Änderung?

Die grösste Änderung ergibt sich für die Spieler. In der Vergangenheit gab es in der Regel keine Zahlungen vom Spieler an seinen Agenten. Die Klubs haben den Vermittler bezahlt. Künftig wird das laut IHF Regulations anders sein: Der Spieler und sein Agent müssen sich darauf einigen, was der Spieler seinem Agenten bezahlt. Das ist frei verhandelbar und muss auch verhandelt werden. Es wird wichtig, ob die Provision zB im 2. und 3. Jahr eines 3-Jahres-Vertrags die gleiche ist, wie im 1. Jahr. Wird die Provision vom Brutto- oder vom Nettogehalt gezahlt, wie sieht es mit Prämien aus? Wie lange läuft die Vereinbarung? Ist sie auf eine gewisse Liga, zB die ASOBAL oder die Dänische 1. Liga beschränkt? Was genau leistet der Agent für den Spieler? Was passiert, wenn der Agent dem Spieler kein passendes Angebot unterbreitet?

Die Spieler sollten künftig für den Abschluss eines Vertrages mit einem Agenten einen Anwalt hinzuziehen. In der Vergangenheit war diese Vereinbarung mehr oder weniger ‚pro forma‘ …

?Also müssen die Spieler jetzt selber mit ihrem Agenten verhandeln?

Ja, genauso ist es. In der Vergangenheit haben die Klubs, grob gesprochen, dem Spieler 90% und dem Agenten 10% gezahlt. In Zukunft bekommt der Spieler 100%, muss davon aber seinen Agenten bezahlen. Er kann also mit mehr – aber auch mit weniger – Netto am Ende des Jahres dastehen.

?Bei dem neuen System fallen mehr Steuern an!?

Auch das ist richtig. Aber für die Vereine ändert sich nichts. Sie hatten vor der neuen Regelung 100% Geld für einen Spieler incl. Vermittler zur Verfügung und werden dies künftig auch haben. Wenn der Staat die Steuern, oder eine Versicherung die Prämie erhöht, hat der Verein ja auch nicht plötzlich 105% zur Verfügung – nur weil die Versicherung teurer geworden ist. Für die Clubs ändert sich also nichts. Ein Club hatte vorher 100% Geld für einen Spieler und wird das auch künftig haben. Wenn – ob der neuen Regelung – plötzlich jemand 105% für einen Spieler ausgibt, dann hat der ein anderes Problem.

?Verstanden. Bleibt noch die Frage nach den Spielervermittlern.

Den Spielervermittlern gefällt die neue Regelung nicht. Sie werden künftig in einem direkten Konkurrenzverhältnis stehen, was bisher so nicht der Fall war. In der Vergangenheit haben alle Agenten ihrem Spieler in der Regel nichts berechnet. Künftig wird es unterschiedliche Prozentsätze geben. Die Spieler werden die Leistungen der Agenten vergleichen.

Die Spielervermittler haben eine Vereinigung gegründet, um die neue Regelung abzuwenden. Unser Geschäftsführer vom Forum Club Handball, Gerd Butzeck, hat sich mit zweimal mit Vertretern des Vorstandes zu jeweils einem längeren Gespräch getroffen und die Situation erläutert.

Für die guten Spielervermittler wird sich nicht viel ändern. Die Notwendigkeit von Spielervermittlern ist ja unbestritten. Sie werden weiter gutes Geld verdienen. Die Rechnung geht halt ab jetzt an den Spieler.

Einige Spielervermittler versuchen gerade, Unruhe bei den Clubs zu stiften. Sie behaupten, das dieser oder jener Club weiter den Spielervermittler bezahlt. Ich habe schon entsprechende SMS gesehen, die uns vertraulich zugesendet wurden. Die grossen Clubs haben sich bereits abgesprochen werden sich sicher an die Regelung halten, die kleineren werden folgen. Da bin ich mir sicher.

Es wird eine Weile dauern, bis das System von allen verstanden ist. Der FC Barcelona verfährt in allen Sportarten, also im Fussball, Basketball und im Handball, schon seit 4 Jahren so. Mehr oder weniger gezwungener Maßen, da die Steuerbehörden nicht mehr mitgespielt haben. Sie haben die Rechnung der Spielervermittler nicht mehr als abzugsfähig anerkannt, da der Vermittler die Leistung in der Regel für den Spieler erbringt – und nicht für den Club.

? Wie sieht das System eigentlich in anderen Sportarten aus?

Im Fussball läuft das mehr oder weniger so, wie bislang im Handball. Die Auswüchse sind jedem Sportfan bekannt. Es gibt Bestrebungen, ua auch von deutschen Topclubs, unser Modell zu übernehmen. Im Fussball ist das System halt komplexer, Transfersummen spielen eine grosse Rolle und sorgen für Diskussionen.

Im Basketball wird seit dem 1.1.22 auch das Bestellerprinzip angewendet, in der Schweizer Eishockeyliga schon seit dem 1.7.21. So neu und verwunderlich ist das alles also nicht.

Im Amerikanischen Sport haben die Spieler schon immer den ‚Players‘ Agent‘ bezahlt. Die Amis schütteln über unser bisheriges System nur den Kopf.

?Und wie geht es jetzt weiter?

Wir können uns das ja nicht aussuchen. Die Regelung ist vom Weltverband IHF beschlossen und tritt am 1.7.22 in Kraft. Die grosse Mehrheit der Klubs wird die Regelung anwenden, einige werden versuchen zu tricksen. Aber die machen sich natürlich von Spieler und Spielervermittler abhängig/erpressbar. Wir als SG werden das nicht tun, weil wir die Regularien respektieren und für richtig halten.

Und momentan betrifft es ja erstmal niemanden wirklich, da fast alle schon einen Vertrag für die nächste Saison haben. Es geht um die neuen Verträge, die ab jetzt geschlossen werden ….

? Danke für das Gespräch.

FCH started to discuss the relationship between Player agents and Clubs in 2020. In December 2020 the 23^rd FCH General Assembly decided: ‘FCH Member clubs do not pay for the services of an agent in international transfers if the agent already has been mandated by the player.’  

This decision of European top clubs was discussed in the various bodies of EHF and EHFM, such as Men’s Club Board, Advisory Board, Professional Handball Board and EHF Executive Committee.

As all EHF/M bodies supported the initiative of FCH, it was decided to implement the idea into the IHF Regulations for Transfers. Discussions on various levels with IHF took place. A new wording of the regulations was worked out and finally confirmed by the IHF Council.

The key sentence of the new regulation: ‘A third party (= Player agent) shall not intervene for more than one party in a transfer and must be remunerated only by the party in question.’

As of 1^st July 2022 a player, who has authorized a Player agent to represent his interests, shall remunerate his Player agent.

Clubs shall no longer reimburse the Player’s agent, if the agent represents the interests of the player.

During the first meeting of the newly elected EHF Professional Handball Board, FCH President Xavier O’Callaghan was elected as chairman. This EHF body serves as platform for the exchange and coordination of the various stakeholders in Professional Handball, such as clubs, players, leagues , National federations and European Handball Federation. Being chair of the PHB, O’Callaghan becomes automatically member of the EHF Executive Committee.

On 9th October 2018 the EHF Professional Handball Board (PHB) held it 21st meeting. The PHB takes care of all matters concerning professional handball and consists out of 2 player representatives, 2 league representatives, 2 Nations representatives, two club representatives, 2 EHF representatives, the EHF President and the EHF Secretary General. The chairman of the PHB represents the group in the EHF Executive Committee. The former PHB chairman (and President of FCH) Xavier O’Callaghan had to resign from his position, as he changed his job inside FC Barcelona and moved to New York. FCH Vice-President Gregor Planteu will represent FCH in the PHB together with FCH Managing Director Gerd Butzeck in the future. The PHB elected Gerd Butzeck to become new chairman of the EHF body.

The UEFA Congress in Helsinki took basic decisions regarding the role of the clubs in the football pyramide. As of now the European Club Association (ECA), the partner organization of FORUM CLUB HANDBALL (FCH) in Football, will have two seats in the UEFA Executive Committee.

In Handball the clubs do not have a direct representation in the EHF Executive Committee, but they are represented via the chairmanship in the Professional Handball Board (PHB). FCH President Xavier O’Callaghan represents the interests of the top European Handball clubs.

UEFA President Ceferin identified a calendar problem in football which he would like to solve by involving FIFA. The ConFedCup and the Club World Championship are not indispensable.

Although the clubs were integrated into the UEFA system, Ceferin stated that the clubs are not the only ones, who care about football. UEFA must be the instance, to look after fair balance inside the football family. UEFA needs to earn money to deliver it to federations and clubs.  

During its 8^th ordinary meeting the Professional Handball Board (PHB) of the European Handball Federation (EHF) dealt with IHF matters. As discussed earlier in this blog, the IHF tried to force European Top Clubs to sign a declaration which obliges the clubs to communicate with IHF via the National Federations only. IHF underlined in various letters that compensation will be paid out only on receipt of this declaration. This letters stated repeatedly that an according decision had been taken by the IHF council. The big majority of European Top Clubs refused to sign this declaration.

According to the minutes of the last IHF Council meeting, an according decision had never been taken. The according sentence in the minutes was deleted.

The club representatives in the PHB demanded a clear statement of the PHB on the issue. All PHB members, the player representatives, the league representatives, the club representatives, the National Federations representatives and the EHF representatives strongly supported the club position and signed a letter to IHF President Hassan Moustafa, demanding ‘the immediate payment to the clubs of the compensation money due to them for release of the players to the 2013 men’s World Championship. The payment … is to be affected … by 1 April 2013 at the latest.’

The European Handball Players Union (EHPU) made a statement on the participation of Handball in the upcoming European Games in Baku 2015. The key sentence: ‘Player unions do not want handball to be part of the European Games without a clear reduction in the number of International competitions.’ This statement corrensponds to the earlier statement of FCH.

The European Olympic Committee (EOC) decided to establish European Games (EG) – similar to existing Asian Games or PanAmerican Games. About 13 Olympic and 2 Non Olympic Sports are supposed to participate. Handball and Beach Handball are potential candidates for the first edition which will take place in Baku 2015.

The European Handball Federation (EHF) informed the stakeholders during the last PHB meetings about the ongoing contacts with EOC. Former EHF President Tor Lian was member of a working group.

The board of Forum Club Handball (FCH) consulted on the issue during a conference call today. FCH strictly refuses to increase the number of big competitions from currently 5 (2 World Championships (WCH), 2 European Championships (ECH) and 1 Olympic Games) to 6 competitions. The invention of the EG must lead to a reduction with a maximum number of 4 competitions (1 ECH, 1 WCH, 1 EG and 1 OG) in 4 years. ‘We need to agree a plan with EHF and IHF, how to reduce the total number of competitions’, demanded FCH President Tomaz Jersic ‘Without written consent on a global reduction we can not support Handball in European Games. Additional revenues, generated by the EG, must be in invested in the promotion of our sport. According decisions have to be taken jointly by EHF and Clubs.’

The 41^st General Assembly of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) decided in Rome on Saturday, 8 December 2012, that the first European Games will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan in June 2015.

Former EHF President Tor Lian was member of a working group, producing a feasibility study for the European Games. The Professional Handball Board (PHB) was informed about the ongoing negotiations.

EHF President Jean Brihault gave a remarkable on the issue (you find the full version on the www.eurohandball.com):

eurohandball.com: What role has the EHF played in the development of the European Games?

Jean Brihault: The EOC has said from the start that it wanted handball to be part of the project, and following a meeting with the leadership of the project in Lausanne, the EHF Secretary General, Michael Wiederer, and I made it clear that the EHF is interested in this new project.

We have also put forward the idea that we include not only indoor handball but also beach handball in the Games. I am pleased to say that this has been positively received by the EOC.

At this stage, based on the agreement of the EHF Executive and the Professional Handball Board (made up of representatives of the national federations, professional leagues, clubs and players) we have signed a letter of intent to say handball is interested in continuing to work with the EOC towards the inclusion of the sport in the Games.

The future inclusion of handball in the Games is as yet by no means certain. We have underlined the fact that that certain criteria and standards need to be met if the sport is to join the programme of the Games.

…
eurohandball.com: What does the European Games mean for the international calendar in the future?

Jean Brihault: Naturally the international calendar is an important consideration, and it is clear – and the message from our various stakeholders is also clear – that a European Games cannot add to the workload of players in the future.

Assuming a first event is a success, we will have to look at how the European Games will fit into handball’s calendar of events.

eurohandball.com: What does the European Games mean for European handball?
…….

We are still in negotiation with the EOC, but I can imagine the event in 2015 being played initially with eight men’s and eight women’s teams in indoor handball and eight men’s and eight women’s teams in beach handball. From the start both the men’s and women’s competitions event must be organised on an equal footing.