IHF Webpage, 12.11.09:  The „World Selection”, concept is not to make any profit, but to show our respect to all players, to support them and to show our compliments to all National Federations by celebrating with them a special event as for example the 60th anniversary of the Croatian Handball Federation. The World Selection participated during the past in several events which were very successful and the whole world knew about these matches where the best players from different countries are selected by the IHF.
Nevertheless the G-14 (Group Club Handball) denied sending its players to this special event. Primarily I feel sorry for the Croatian Handball Federation, the organizer of the event as they will celebrate their federation anniversary. The world selection is consisting of thirty players, outside G-14 all players confirmed their participation and the IHF was ready to play the match.
But after receiving a phone call from the President of the Croatian Handball Federation who asked to postpone the match of the World Selection, the IHF decided to comply with this request. The President of Croatian Handball Federation confirmed also this wish by letter (copy attached). It is worth to mention that in addition to the World Selection match in Croatia, the IHF already received a request from the Royal Spanish Handball Federation for a next World Selection to be played in Spain in June 2010.
Despite my deepest respect towards the strong European Clubs, the World Selection has to be represented, as in former times, by players from all continents.
The IHF is wishing for promoting handball and enhance relationship among handball family.