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.’