The 10. EHF Extraordinary Congress took place last weekend in Limassol/Cyprus. The Presidents of 47 member nations met in order to discuss important issues, concerning the future of handball.

Motion No 5, proposed by the EHF Executive Committee, had the intention to establish a co-operation between EHF and the various stakeholders in professional handball, such as Clubs, Leagues and Players.

These groups were to be represented in the ‘Professional Handball Board’, a body which was supposed to have the same function like the ‘Professional Football Strategy Council’, successfully established by the UEFA in January 2008.

The highest body in European Handball, the Congress, rejected the motion, forwarded by its Executive Committee.

The General Assembly of GROUP CLUB HANDBALL EEIG will deal with this decision and further results of the Congress during its next meeting on 1st/2nd November 2009 in Madrid.

Dusseldorf, 26.10.09  GB

The next General Assembly of GROUP CLUB HANDBALL EEIG will take place in Madrid/ESP on 2nd November 2009. 

The assembly will study the results of the EHF Presidents Conference, taking place in Limassol/Cyprus one week earlier and the results of the negotiations, achieved between the leadership of EHF and GCH during the last weeks.

GCH Chairman Joan Marin/BM Ciudad Real finishes his first presidency. He is proposed for re-election.

Dusseldorf, 5.10.2009 GB

Further to the meeting held in Garda (ITA) on July 21/22 2009, GCH and EHF met in Langenlois (AUT) on September 10/11 to continue on a technical level the work started in Italy in a more political perspective.

Both parties agreed on the principles that would make the representation of European clubs possible and effective inside the structure of the EHF through a board whose creation will be the object of a specific motion (motion N°5) to be submitted to the EHF extraordinary congress to be held in Cyprus on October 23/24. The technicalities of the agreement will constitute a Memorandum of Understanding.

Both parties also agreed on a phasing for the withdrawal of the complaint lodged by GCH against the EHF.

All participants expressed their satisfaction at the progress accomplished over the last few months and their strong desire to build up an adequate level of cooperation to contribute to the further development of handball in Europe.

Text: EHF/GCH

GROUP CLUB HANDBALL EEIG and European Handball Federation met in Garda (ITA) on July 21/22 2009 on the invitation of EHF president Tor Lian to discuss the position of stake holders and more specifically clubs in the European Handball Federation in the future with the ambition to supply significant input to the EHF Executive Committee in the perspective of the EHF extraordinary congress to be held in Cyprus in October 2009.

The meeting was placed under the dual leadership of GCH president Joan Marin and EHF vice president Jean Brihault and involved Tomaz Jersic and Dierk Schmaeschke as well as Ralf Dejaco and Michael Wiederer from EHF side.

Both parties initially stated their desire to continue working together and to find a better articulation inside the EHF so as to give the clubs a position in the decision-making process likely to represent the essential role that they play in European handball.

To this end and in agreement with the wishes expressed by GCH they worked on the concept of a club structure and a strategic forum for handball stake holders comparable to those implemented in European football.

Both parties expressed their satisfaction at the good atmosphere and efficiency that prevailed throughout the meeting and agreed to jointly pursue their reflection on the issues at stake.

Duesseldorf, 23.7.09

GROUP CLUB HANDBALL EEIG celebrated the 11th ordinary meeting in Germany on 22.06.09. The Group met on invitation of Anschutz-Entertainment Group in O2-World Arena/Berlin which hosted successfully three matches of the TOYOTA Handball Bundesliga and the Euroleague Basketball Final Four tournament during the last season. 

Elections New Board Members

As Uwe Schwenker (Kiel) resigned from his position as Vice-President earlier this year and the contract of Fynn Holpert (Flensburg) expires in Flensburg, a new Vice-President and a new deputy Vice-President had to be elected.

The assembly unanimously elected Volker Zerbe (TBV Lemgo) as Vice-President and Dierk Schmaeschke (HSV Hamburg) as Deputy Vice-President. Congratulations!

Complaint with European Commission

Jean-Louis Dupont, Belgian lawyer and expert on sport law, explained details about the complaint, lodged with the European Commission.

EHF

The clubs discussed and accepted the offer of EHF President Tor Lian to start a discussion regarding structural changes inside EHF. A number of targets was discussed in detail. Results are expected for the next EHF Congress.

New members

The assembly decided to enlarge the number of member clubs to have a broader basis for the upcoming challenges.

GCH invited Rhein-Neckar Lions/GER, KS Vive Targi Kielce and Kadetten Handball/SUI to become new members.

Rhein-Neckar Lions finished a successful season with a third place in the German Championship and participation in the semi-final of the Champions League.

KS Vive Kielce is the leading club in Poland, who tries to transfer the success from the National Team to club level.

During the last years Kadetten Handball from Switzerland has developed step by step to European level, finishing permanently in the top of Swiss league and the final rounds of the European Cups.

Hardly welcome to all three clubs!

Dusseldorf, 22.6.09

GROUP CLUB HANDBALL EEIG would like to congratulate the Danish, French, German and Spanish professional handball leagues for todays foundation of ‚European Professional Handball League Association’.

We wish all the very best to EPHLA and offer our close co-operation in order to achieve common targets in the future.

Uwe Schwenker, Vice-President and board member of GROUP CLUB HANDBALL EEIG requested to be temporarily represented by his deputy, Fynn Holpert (Flensburg).The request was announced due to various allegations against THW Kiel which are currently investigated by the public prosecutor of Kiel.

The request of Uwe Schwenker shall not be regarded as an acknowledgement of any guilt. GB

GROUP CLUB HANDBALL EEIG offers support to European Handball Federation (EHF) in order to improve the current refereeing system as soon as possible.The following proposals shall be regarded as a basis for discussions:

1. An independent European referee office is responsible for organisation and nomination of referees and delegates (further on referees).

2. Every country has at least one referee official. He is taking care of the referees on behalf of the European referee office. He might issue invitations for visas, recommend or book hotel, and/or pick up referees at the airport, if necessary. He is not linked to clubs or national federations. He has to report to the referee office.

3. Travelling is organized by referees and European referee office. Clubs are not involved at all. There is no common dinner, meeting or similar before and after the match.

4. Referees are not allowed to have any contacts with clubs or club representatives. If a referee is contacted by a club – for whatsoever reason – he has to report it immediately to the European referee office. This will be controlled by the European referee office.

5. The clubs are not allowed to contact referees. Referees have to report about any contacts with clubs.

6. Refereeing has to be totally independent and separated from the European Handball Federation (EHF) office.
The responsibility for nominations is exclusively with the European referee office. No handball politicians or tournament management should be able to take influence.

7. The position of the Delegate shall be upgraded. He should be fully responsible for the bench.

8. The performance of delegates shall be judged by the referees. The performance of the referees shall be judged by delegates and coaches. A detailed control system with responsibilities for coaches, delegates and referees should to be established.

9. It has to be discussed whether it is necessary to referee in couples from one country. It might be a possible to nominate every time various referees from various countries for one match.

10. The delegates should be specialists which means that they should be former or active referees. Delegates should not be nominated due to political reasons.

The current statement has to be seen in relation with the rumours about bribery in Handball. GCH insists that Kiel and Lemme/Ulrich have to be regarded as innocent as long as no relevant proves have been forwarded.

At the same GCH encourages all competent bodies to clarify the correctness of the current allegations which jeopardize the future of Handball.

European Handball Federation (EHF) and GROUP CLUB HANDBALL EEIG should closely co-operate in the spirit of fairness to optimize transparently the refereeing system and adopt it to the necessities of modern handball.

GROUP CLUB HANDBALL EEIG* asks for detailed explanations of Hassan Moustafa, President of the International Handball Federation (IHF).

On occasion of it’s 10th ordinary meeting, held on 2nd February 2009 in Zagreb, GROUP CLUB HANDBALL EEIG (GCH) dealt with a number of irregularities within the International Handball Federation (IHF), having been provoked by it’s President Hassan Moustafa.

GCH discussed in detail the following issues which have brought this sport in serious disrepute:

Travel expenses compensation scandal

The President of the IHF, Hassan Moustafa, received more than 500.000 CHF from International Handball Federation (IHF) for compensation of travel expenses without forwarding any receipts.

Egyptian Doping affair during the Pre-Olympic Tournament in Athens

The Egyptian team played with half of their players only whilst the other half of the squad was sitting on the tribune; the Egyptian Federation and their President Hassan Moustafa complained about the fact that they had not been informed about the scheduled Doping controls prior to the tournament.

Payments around the Egyptian World Championship 1999

According to a report of the German Spiegel-online magazine, dated 31.1.09, 695.420,98 USD were not received by the Egyptian Federation until 1.9.2003, but deposited on an account at Credit Mutual bank in Strasbourg.
The authority to sign for this account was with Hassan Moustafa.

Wada Code/Holdhaus resignation affair

Due to various statements of Prof. Hans Holdhaus, former Chairman of the Anti-Doping-Unit of the International Handball Federation (IHF), Hassan Moustafa cut the anti doping budget of the medical commission and requested to be informed about doping controls upfront. The independent anti-doping unit was dissolved. This endangers the status of handball as Olympic sport.

Toyota Olympic Qualification affair

For the first time in history an Olympic qualification tournament had to be re-played, as the Jordanian Referees had obviously been cheating (CAS, case 2008 O 1483). The German referees Lemme/Ulrich initially nominated by the International Handball Federation (IHF) were withdrawn by IHF President Hassan Moustafa.

Despite these facts the Council of the International Handball Federation (IHF) decided unanimously to invite Peter Muhlematter to resign as General Secretary during the IHF council meeting in Zagreb, on 31st January 2009.

After careful examination of the above issues, GCH unanimously came to the conclusion that IHF President Hassan Moustafa (and not Peter Muhlematter), by his irresponsible conduct, is causing serious damage to international Handball and herewith puts in danger the status of Handball as an Olympic sport.

As a result, GROUP CLUB HANDBALL EEIG asks Hassan Moustafa as President of the International Handball Federation (IHF) for detailed explanations and invites all governing bodies in handball to put their efforts in restoring order and respect for the rules and fair spirit of the game.

* ‘GROUP CLUB HANDBALL EEIG – Circle of the Best’ is an European Economic Interest Group, representing the interests of the following clubs:

FC Barcelona (ESP), Celje Pivovarna Lasko (SLO), Chehovskie Medvedi (RUS), BM Ciudad Real (ESP), SG Flensburg-Handewitt (GER), HSV Hamburg (GER), THW Kiel (GER), KIF Kolding Elite A/S (DEN), TBV Lemgo (GER), Reale Ademar Leon (ESP), SC Magdeburg (GER), Montpellier HB (FRA), Portland San Antonio (ESP), Pevafersa Valladolid (ESP), MKB Veszprém KC (HUN), HC Croatia Osiguranje-Zagreb (CRO).

The 10th ordinary assembly of ‘GROUP CLUB HANDBALL – Circle of the Best’ (GCH) took place on 2.2.2009 in Zagreb/Croatia.

GCH is concerned about the proceedings around International Handball Federation (IHF) which seriously damage the image of handball. The clubs advised the president of GCH, Joan Marin, to contact the President of the European Handball Federation (EHF), Mr. Tor Lian, in order to receive more information.

GCH is also concerned about the policy of International Handball Federation (IHF), not to paid any compensation for injured players. The players Nikcevic/San Antonio/ESP and Kraus/Lemgo/GER are seriously injured and will not be able to play for their clubs in the next months. This will have direct influence on the tables of Spain and Germany.
GCH decided to take action against the policy of International Handball Federation (IHF).

GCH decided enlarge to 24 teams. The teams of

DEN: FCK Handbold A/S
ESP: CAI BM Aragon Zaragoza
FRA: Chambery Savoie HB
GER: Rhein-Neckar-Lions
HUN: Pick Szeged
SLO: RK Gorenje Velenje
SUI: Kadetten Handball Schaffhausen
SWE: Hammarby

are invited to join the grouping.

The clubs were elected in autumn 2007 according to the EC ranking for season 2007/2008.