The European Handball Players Union (EHPU) held a meeting during the Worldchampionship in Madrid on 23.1.13. Marcus Rominger/GER was elected as President, Emeric Paillasson/FRA as Vice-President! Congratulations! The President and the Vice-President will represent the players’ interests in the EHF Professional Handball Board (PHB).
Germany, handball-world.com: Strombach: “Wenn der DHB verklagt wird, wird er den Prozess aufnehmen”
http://www.handball-world.com/o.red.c/news-1-1-1-45171.html
Spain, Blog-de-Rosca: FCH clubs critisize lack of respect of IHF
http://www.cope.es/blog-De-Rosca/Los-clubes-del-FCH-critican-la-falta-respeto-de-la-IHF.html
USA, team handball news:
Germany, handball-world.com:
http://www.handball-world.com/o.red.c/news-1-1-1-44947.html
Slovenia, Ljubljanske Novice:
http://www.ljnovice.com/default.asp?podrocje=40&menu=7&novica=168639
Belgium:
http://www.handbal.be/all/nieuws.php?id=1506&cat
Germany:
http://sport.t-online.de/handball-bundesliga-klagt-gegen-dhb/id_61863652/index
For a very long time European Top Clubs tried to reach an agreement with International Handball Federation (IHF) on issues like ‚Good governance‘, calendar, compensation and insurance – without any success. During the last months IHF did not even reply on FCH letters or an invitation to a personal meeting.
Now the clubs decided to take action: a number of German clubs will lodge a complaint against IHF (for formal reasons the German Federation will be included). ‘Up to today we have no formal information about the compensation which we will receive from IHF for sending our players to the World Championship in Spain’ stated a club official during the FCH meeting which took place on the fringes of the World Championship in Barcelona on 26.1.13. The clubs complained about a lack of respect of IHF. ‘We are the heart of the game. We are paying the players. We are doing the work. They take our players whenever they want, they earn a lot of money and refuse speaking to us’ – the opinion of the 40 club representatives from 25 countries was more than clear.
According to the statutes of the IHF the clubs are not existing. The complaint intends to improve the situation of the clubs. ‘We are comparing our situation to football’, says FCH President Tomaz Jersic/Slovenia. ‘And we want our relation to be based on written agreement – as we did with European Handball Federation (EHF)!’ Clubs and EHF signed a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ (MoU) in May 2010.
In football the European Club Association (ECA) has reached agreements with UEFA and FIFA. Clubs are represented in the bodies of UEFA and FIFA.
The IHF will be adjudged to refrain from obligating the clubs in the scope of their currently valid regulations to release their employed foreign handball players upon demand of their respective national federations for National team matches. The complaint will be lodged as soon as possible.
The 9th General Assembly of Forum Club Handball (FCH) took place in Barcelona on 26th Jan 2013. 39 Member clubs from 25 countries were present and discussed issues of interest for European Top clubs.
It was decided that the establishment of the European Games by the EOC may not lead to an increase of the number of big competitions. Currently Handball plays 5 big competitions (2 WCHs, 2 ECHs + 1 OG) in one Olympic cycle. The clubs accept the participation of Handball in the European Games, under the condition that a plan for a reduction to 4 big competitions is confirmed by IHF, EHF and FCH.
The General Assembly discussed the relation between IHF and clubs. The IHF refused any contacts with club representatives until 2010. In December 2011 IHF envisaged a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ (MoU) between clubs and IHF. This commitment was withdrawn in 2012. Various letters of FCH and an invitation for a meeting remained without answer.
Starting from 2006 EHF is in close communication with clubs. Although there were different opinions of various issues in the past, a MoU has been signed between FCH and EHF in May 2010. This MoU contains agreements on issues like ‘Good Governance’, calendar, compensation for release of players to the National Teams, insurance and the involvement of club representatives in the various bodies of EHF and EHF Marketing GmbH.
In Football UEFA signed an according agreement with the European Club Association (ECA) in January 2008, dealing with the same issues. It has been prolonged recently. FIFA made according agreements with ECA. Club representatives are working in FIFA bodies. Calendar, insurance, and compensation issues are agreed.
IHF imposes all regulations, calendar, compensation and insurance on clubs without any negotiation. Therefore at least 12 German clubs will lodge a complaint against IHF. The clubs decided to clarify the question, whether IHF has the right to act in this way. As the IHF monopoly is executed via the National Federations, it is necessary to direct the complaint against IHF and one (in this case the German) National Federation. The complaint shall be lodged as soon as possible. GB
In September he was elected as President of Spanish ASOBAL, now he brings first ideas into handball. In MUNDODEPORTIVO he says: ‘In terms of the sport we are top, but the halls in Spain are empty. We have to revolutionize our sport. We have no money and no sponsors, we need to be creative. We are optimistic, because the situation can only improve.’ Coll proposes to think in all directions and to unify forces. The clubs should work intensively on the number of spectators. ‘We should think about one chinese player per team, to raise interest for our sport in China. … Argentina, Tunesia or China might be interested to host a 3-days-tournament with Spanish teams.’ His team Barcelona has the task to remain on top level with less sources.
According to an information of Sportcal (14.1.13) the 53 UEFA member federations will discuss possible changes of FIFA statutes on 24 th January 2013. The idea is to limit the FIFA presidency to two four-year terms and the age limit for officials to 72 years. According to Sportcal the current FIFA President, 76-year-old Sepp Blatter, is opposed to the introduction of age limits. The next FIFA congress – which could decide upon changes – will take place in Mauritius end of May 2013.
The reigning IHF President Hassan Moustafa was elected in 2000. If the 68-year-old Egyptian gets re-elected during the next IHF Congress in Oct 2013, his fourth term will expire in 2017.
The General Secretary of the European Handball Federation (EHF) Michael Wiederer will be guest speaker at the beginning of the upcoming 9th FCH General Assembly. He will report on the status of Handball as part of the European Games 2015 in Baku and explain the EHF point of view regarding possible changes of the EHF European Cup system. Further guests in the meeting will be the observers David Frommer from European Club Association/Football and Thomas Kurth/World Series Cycling. GB
Wie das deutsche Magazin ‚Sponsors‘ am 28.12.12 vermeldete, könnte ein ‚Urteil des schwedischen Kartellgerichts gegen den schwedischen Automobilverband über Skandinavien hinaus Bedeutung erlangen.‘
Der schwedische Automobilverband hatte von ihm lizensierten Fahrern verboten, an konkurrierenden Rennserien teilzunehmen. Damit sah das schwedische Gericht die Entstehung von Wettbewerb verhindert. Es wurde eine Strafe in Höhe von einer Million Schwedischer Kronen (ca 120.000 Euro) verhängt. Grundlage für das schwedische Urteil sind frühere Entscheidungen des EuGH.
Das Urteil könnte Einfluss auf Europäische und Weltsportverbände haben. Diese versuchen über ihre Statuten und Reglemente unliebsame Konkurrenz zu verhindern. So ist zur Zeit im Handball die Teilnahme an multinationalen Wettbewerben genehmigungspflichtig, wenn diese nicht von EHF oder IHF organisiert werden.
Der deutsche Sportjurist Mark E. Orth empfiehlt den Sportverbänden, ihre ‚Regelungen schleunigst anzupassen‘, da künftige richterliche Entscheide deutlich teurer werden könnten. (Zitate aus Sponsors, 28.12.12)