Before todays PHB meeting, the European Professional Handball Players Union (EPHU), represented by Marcus Romminger/GER, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the European Handball Federation (EHF). As a consequence the players as last interest group became ordinary member of PHB. Hardly welcome! GB

One year ago, on the weekend of the 2010 VELUX EHF Championsleague Final4, EHF and FCH signed a ‘Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)’, regulating the relation between EHF and Clubs.

In the meantime various club representatives took part in meetings of the Club Marketing Board (CMB), Professional Handball Board (PHB), EHF and IHF Congress. Now European Top Clubs were informed about the results. The CMB is taking care of the economical questions of the European Cups, especially of the CL. The PHB is taking care of political questions, such as playing system or insurance of player salaries.

A common working group of EHF, IHF, club, league and federation representatives is working to find an insurance solution for all National team matches.

 A major topic of the meetings was the European Cup playing systems. EHF Cup and Cup Winners Cup will be merged as of season 12/13.

Important clubs like Chekhov, Ciudad Real and Zagreb want to change the VELUX EHF Championsleague (CL) playing system in order to give more guaranteed matches to the participants. The would appreciate a league system.

Other important clubs like Flensburg, Montpellier or Kolding prefer to stay with the current system. A clear majority for a change of the system was not reached. A standing working group will study the issue and work out concrete proposals for the next meeting.

The lac of spectators in some matches of the CL was not regarded to be the consequence of the playing system. The management of European Top Clubs shall be improved by an educational system for club managers. A pilot project will be organized in autumn 2011.

European Top will gather in Cologne/GER this weekend in order to discuss matters of interest for European Professional Handball.

The FORUM CLUB HANDBALL (FCH) – HEART OF THE GAME board will report about the results of earlier Professional Handball Board (PHB) and Club Marketing Board (CMB) meetings.

For the first time in Handball history a club representative was invited to the IHF Congress in Marrakesh/Marocco. GCH President Marin will report on the Congress.

The major point of the agenda will be the discussion about a future EUROLEAGUE HANDBALL. During the last FCH meeting there was a common understanding on this issue. All club representatives expect the EUROLEAGUE HANDBALL to be reality in 10 years from now. The various stages of development are unclear and will be matter of discussion.

Der deutsche Bundestrainer Heiner Brand hat ins seiner Rücktritts-Pressekonferenz am 18.5.2011 Anschuldigungen gegen GCH Geschäftsführer G. Butzeck erhoben, die wir zurückweisen.

Die GROUP CLUB HANDBALL EEIG (GCH) wurde 2006 aufgrund von Problemen gegründet, die sich aus dem internationalen Spielkalender und der Vermarktung des Europapokals ergeben haben.

In den letzten 5 Jahren hat die GCH für die Europäischen Klubs Folgendes erreicht:

Seit 2008 gibt es eine Klubvertretung in den Gremien der Europäischen Handball Föderation (EHF)

Seit 2008 gibt es eine Klubvertretung in der EHF Marketing GmbH, die den kommerziellen Teil der Europapokale abwickelt

Seit 2008 gibt es eine Fondlösung, die Klubs für die Verletzung von Spieler bei Europameisterschaften entschädigt

Seit 2010 erhalten Klubs eine Entschädigung für die Abstellung von Nationalspielern zur Europameisterschaft

Seit 2010 gibt es ein ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ (MoU) zwischen Klubs und EHF, dass wesentliche Dinge der Zusammenarbeit regelt.

Seit 2010 gibt es das Professional Handball Board (PHB), ein Gremium, in dem Spieler-, Club-, Liga-, Verbands- und EHF-Vertreter erstmals GEMEINSAM die Thematiken des Profihandballs besprechen

Seit 2011 haben die Klubs einen Vertreter in der Exekutive der EHF

Seit 2011 gibt es eine Kommunikation zwischen Klubs und Internationalen Handball Föderation (IHF)

Seit 2011 sind die Spielergehälter bei Weltmeisterschaften zugunsten der Klubs versichert

Seit 2011 erhalten die Klubs eine Abstellungsgebühr für Nationalspieler bei Weltmeisterschaften

Bei der Europameisterschaft 2012 werden die Nationalmannschaften auf Intervention der Klubs 2 Ruhetage mehr haben als bei der Europameisterschaft 2010

Die Deutschen Klubs unterstützen die Nationalmannschaften im Allgemeinen und die Deutsche Nationalmannschaft im Besonderen in dem Wissen, dass sie den Stellenwert der Sportart Handball massgeblich beeinflussen.

Die GCH wird sich allerdings auch weiterhin für Änderungen zugunsten des Handballs und zugunsten der Kernzelle des Handballs – also zugunsten des Europäischen Klubhandballs einsetzen. 

Sowohl unser Geschäftsführer Gerd Butzeck als auch alle deutschen Vertreter der in der GCH vertretenen Clubs haben hohen Respekt um die Verdienste von Heiner Brand um den Deutschen Handball und freuen sich auf konstruktiven Austausch in der Zukunft.

gez. Volker Zerbe/TBV Lemgo (Vize-Präsident GCH)                     

gez. Dierk Schmäschke/HSV Handball (Stellvertr. Vize-Präsident GCH)

For the first time in history a Club Representative was invited as guest to an IHF Congress. The assembly had to decide upon a lot of important motions. GCH President Joan Marin (BM Renovalia Ciudad Real) was present.

Decisions: 

The assembly did not include the stakeholders (Continental Federations, National Federations, Clubs, Referees, Trainers, Officials, Players, Medical Staff) in the bylaws.

In the future IHF will hold all rights of qualification matches for World Championships (WCH) and Olympic Games.

The assembly refused to enable IHF to open branches and subsidiaries abroad. In the past IHF had some discussions about an office in Cairo.

 USA Team Handball requested to establish a ‘North American&Caribbean Handball Federation’, recognized as a continental federation. The proposal was rejected.

 The Head Office will not be ‘placed under the political responsibility of the IHF President’. An according Council motion was rejected.

 A Norwegian proposal for a women quote was rejected.

 In the future the President will be ‘a full-time salaried President’. The IHF Council will negotiate the labor contract.

 The position of the Secretary General was extinguished.

 A major proposal, increasing the power of the President, was not approved.

 Under 14.1. Executive Committee – Executive Committee Duties the IHF Council proposed:

 7. The President is primarily responsible for:

a. implementing the decisions passed by the Congress, the Council and the Executive Committee

b. supervising the work of the Head Office;

c. relations between IHF stakeholders.

d. the financial transactions

e. presiding over the Congress, the Council, the Executive Committee and emergency committee meetings and those committees he has been appointed to be the chairman of.

f. In case of urgent business, the President shall make decisions between Council and Executive Committee meetings. If such a decision has to be taken without any possibility to consult the Executive Committee members, it will be submitted to the first Council or Executive Committee meeting following the said decision for confirmation.

g. Any additional responsibilities of the President shall be included in the internal organisation regulations of the IHF.

This motion was totally rejected.

 Some federations (eg Germany) did not attend the Congress due to an bomb explosion in Marrakesh earlier this month. GB