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.

The President of Women Forum Club Handball (WFCH) Ernö Kelecsenyi and the President of the European Handball Federation (EHF) signed a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ (MoU) on the fringes of the 12th EHF Ordinary Congress in Dublin last Weekend. The MoU regulates the partnership between Clubs and EHF. In particular it regulates the representation of Club representatives in the various bodies of EHF and its daughter company EHF Marketing GmbH. Details will be presented to the WFCH member Clubs during the next WFCH General Assembly which will take place in Budapest on the weekend of the EHF European Championship.  GB

A first meeting between the newly elected board of Women Forum Club Handball and the leadership of EHF will take place on 27th June 2014 prior to the draw of the Championsleagues. Women Forum Club Handball will be represented by President Ernö Kelecsenyi/Györ, Vice-President Gordana Naceva/Vardar Skopje and Kay-Sven Hähner/Leipzig. EHF will be represented by President Jean Brihault and General Secretary Michael Wiederer. The target of the meeting is to define the conditions for future cooperation between EHF and WFCH. GB

An important day in European Women Handball – on initiative of a number of leading European Top Clubs, more than 20 Clubs from 15 nations gathered to found WOMEN’S FORUM CLUB HANDBALL (WFCH). In his opening speech the Chairman of the EHF Women’s Club Board, Kay-Sven Hähner from Leipzig, underlined the necessity of the organization, in order to improve Women Handball in Europe. As a guest speaker, the Vice-President from the men’s side, Joan Marin, demanded unity of the clubs vis-à-vis the EHF and the IHF.

After the formal foundation a first board was elected:

Ernö Keleczenyi, Györ/HUN – President

Kay-Sven Hähner, Leipzig/GER – Vice-President (Treasurer)

Gordana Naceva, Skopje/MKD – Vice-President

Jan Buhr, Viborg/DEN

Björn-Gunnar Bruun, Hansen/NOR

The following deputy board members were elected:

Zsolt Akos Jeney, Ferencvarosi/HUN; Torben Kolbaek, Midtjylland/DEN; Liviu Bala, Baia Mare/ROM; Deja Ivanovic, Krim Mercator/SLO

Jutta Ehrmann-Wolf, Leverkusen/GER was elected as a comptroller.

In a first statement the newly elected President thanked for the trust in his person. The thanked for the support from the Men’s Forum Club Handball but asked all women club representatives to find an own way for the future.

At the end of the meeting the President of the European Handball Federation (EHF), Jean Brihault addressed the assembly. He emphasized the importance of women’s handball and promised support from his side. Further details will follow.

The President of the European Handball Federation (EHF) Jean Brihault, accompanied by the Secretary General and the Chairwoman of the Women’s Handball Board plans to attend the foundation assembly of WOMEN FORUM CLUB HANDBALL. The EHF-President will address the club representatives on behalf of the EHF. The according confirmation of EHF Secretary General M. Wiederer has been given today.

The European women teams have been benefiting from the work of FCH in many aspects, such as compensation for release of Players to a European-/World Championship or insurance services. A ‘Women’s Club Board’ had been established inside EHF. The chairman of this board, Kay-Sven Hähner from Leipzig/Germany, met with women club representatives from Denmark, Hungary, Montenegro and Norway in order to discuss the question:

How can we improve the situation of Women’s Club Handball in Europe?

The mentioned club representatives came to the conclusion that the foundation of a ‘Women Forum Club Handball’ (WFCH) might be a solution.

The foundation assembly of Women’s FCH will take place on the fringes of the EHF Final4 at

HILTON BUDAPEST CITY, t: +36 1 288 5539;  f: +36 1 288 5552; Váci út 1-3; Budapest  1062, Hungary; www.hilton.com;

in Budapest on 4^th May 2014.

The schedule will be as follows:

Sat 3.5.14

Arrival of the women’s club representatives in the morning

12 – 13h Registration and distribution of the tickets

Visit of the Semi-Finals (15:00h + 17:30h) of the EHF Final4

Dinner

Sun 4.5.14

9:30 – 12:30h Foundation Assembly of Women Forum Club Handball

Visit of the Finals (14:30h + 17:00h) of the EHF Final4

Departure after the Finals

This invitation is addressed to one board member per club of the

• top 16 teams of the women EHF-Championsleague
• top 16 teams of the women EHF-Cup
• top 16 teams of the women Cup-Winners-Cup
• top 16 teams of the wome Challenge Cup
• all leaders in the women National Championships of all EHF member federations on 1^st April 2014

Women’s FCH will cover the costs for the hotel room (single or double) for one night (3./4.5.14), dinner on Saturday evening and one ticket per club for the EHF Final4 (all matches). The organisation of the meeting will be handled by FCH. Please register by mail to office@forumclubhandball.com until 14^th April 2014. Registration to the meeting is possible until 2nd May 2014.

During the last months a number of European Women Top Clubs representatives discussed, how to improve the situation of women handball in Europe. Forum Club Handball envisaged support for this initiative.  

It is intended to found a Women Forum Club Handball during the EHF Women Final4 in Budapest. All European Women Top Clubs will be invited to this meeting which will take place in Budapest prior to the finals on 4th May 2014. Save the date! Further Information will follow.

The ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ (MoU) with European Handball Federation (EHF) was the major point on the agenda of the 11^th FCH General Assembly (GA). The 36 Top clubs from 19 countries, among them 21 VELUX EHF Championsleague (CL) representatives and for the first time the manager of an English Club, London HB, discussed the result of the negotiations between the leadership of EHF and FCH. The GA entitled the board of FCH to sign the ‘MoU’ on basis of the presented results.

The GA discussed the possibility to change the VELUX EHF Championsleague (CL) system for season 2014/15. In order to clarify the conditions for the new system it was proposed to execute a possible change as of season 2015/16.

The 12^th GA will take place on occasion of the VELUX EHF Championsleague Final Four in Cologne/GER on 1^st June 2014.

The GA advised the General Manager (GM) to work out project for the 13^th Ordinary General Assembly of FCH to take place on the fringes of the World Championship (WCH) 2015 in Qatar.

18.1.2014 FCH General Assembly supports change of the VELUX EHF Championsleague playing system as of 2015

Basically EHF, Clubs and Leagues agree that the VELUX EHF Championsleague playing system shall be changed. In order to clarify the conditions for the new system, the change shall take place as of season 2015/16. Conditions and the according calendar shall be fixed by EHF in spring 2014 latest.

18.1.2014 FCH General Assembly supports cooperation with Women Top Clubs 

On request of the chairman of the Women’s Club Board (WCB) Kay-Sven Hähner, the General Assembly (GA) disussed a cooperation of the leading Men and Women Clubs. It was decided to work out a project for cooperation until the next GA.

18.1.2014 FCH General Assembly decides on a project for emerging clubs

On request of Doukas Handball Club (Athens, Greece) the General Assembly (GA) discussed the question, how to strengthen handball in emerging countries. The Forum Club Handball (FCH) board proposed that every top club shall take a patronat for one emerging club on a voluntarily basis. The emerging clubs may request a patronat at the FCH office. Together the club and FCH shall determine a program, targets and a timeline. The Top club will be provided by decision of the FCH board.

18.1.2014 FCH General Assembly elects Vice-President Joan Marin to become Honorary Member of FCH

During the 11^th General Assembly (GA) of Forum Club Handball (FCH) Joan Marin unanimously was elected as Honorary member. The current FCH Vice-President served as GROUP CLUB HANDBALL EEIG (GCH) President from 2006 – 2011. During this time he represented the interests of former CL-Winner BM Ciudad Real. As of the formal foundation of FCH, Joan Marin served as Vice-President of FCH (representative of BM Atletico Madrid). In this capacity he became chairman of the Professional Handball Board (PHB) and member of the Executive Committee of the EHF. Although BM Atletico Madrid is no longer existing, FCH confirmed his office until the end of the current period (June 2014).

According to the FCH statutes Honorary members may have an office at FCH.