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.
On 22.11.12 IHF sent a letter to all European Handball Federations. The key message: ‘The (IHF) Council also decided to distribute the compensation fees only to those clubs which agree to work directly with the IHF without any mediator other than the NFs (National Federations).’
FCH member clubs regard this to be direct blackmail.
The sentence was quoted from the corresponding IHF Council minutes, which say: ‘The Council also decided to distribute the compensation fees only to those clubs which agree to work directly with the IHF without any mediator other than the NFs.’
The fact is that this sentence has apparently been added to the minutes at a later stage by the IHF President. In an earlier version of these minutes this sentence did not appear.
It seems that IHF/President Hassan Moustafa has produced a second version to put pressure on the clubs. As a consequence the European National Federations could get a wrong understanding of what had really been decided by the IHF Council.
FCH believes this to be an unacceptable way of acting of the President of the International Handball Federation (IHF). FCH will take measures to rectify.
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 41st 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.
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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?
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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.
This is the official invitation to the 9th General Assembly of Forum Club Handball (FCH), taking place on 26th January 2013 from 9.30 – 14 hours at Hotel Miramar, Pl. Carlos Ibáñez, 3, 08038 Barcelona, Tel. +34 932 811 600, www.hotelmiramarbarcelona.com, Spain.
It is addressed to all FCH Members which are the:
The arrival of the participants is scheduled on Friday, 25th Janary 2013. In the afternoon all club representatives will attend the two Semifinals of the World Championship. The venue, Palau St. Jordi, is in footwalking distance from the hotel.
The 9th General Assembly (GA) will take place on Saturday, 26th January 2012 from 9.30 – 14.00 hours. Departure is after the meeting.
The meeting will be split in two parts. In the first part there will be reports on activities, motions and elections. The second part is reserved for consultation on the relation between IHF and FCH.
In the topic ‘Election’ a new board member for countries ranked 7-12 will be elected – as Soren Colding/AG Copenhagen left the board. According to the FCH ‘Rules of Procedure’ and ‘Election Order’, Clubs from Denmark (7th), Switzerland (8th), Roumania (9th), Croatia (10th), Portugal (11th) and Makedonia (12) are requested to nominate a candidate until 12th January 2013.
FCH will cover the costs for the hotel room (one night, incl. breakfast) and for one person per club the Semifinal tickets. Every club representative has to cover his own travel expenses. All clubs are asked to register for the meeting until 28th December 2012 latest. Ticket and hotel can not be guaranteed, if a club registers at a later stage.
Further detailed information will follow. GB
8 World Tour Team members announced the inauguration of ‘World Series Cycling’ this Monday in Brussels. It has to be expected that these professional cycling unify their interests against the World Cycling Union UCI. The project is lead by Jonathan Price from sports marketing company ‘Gifted Group’ and Thomas Kurth, former Managing Director of G 14 (football). Pat McQuaid, UCI President, spoke about the WSC as a ‘breakaway league’ earlier this year.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/how-world-series-cycling-plans-to-reinvent-the-sport
Spanish blog-de-Rosca headline: FCH prepares measures against IHF
http://www.cope.es/blog-De-Rosca/Forum-Club-Handball-FCH-prepara-medidas-contra-la-IHF.html