FCH KEY MESSAGE

Group Club Handball EEIG, the predecessor of Forum Club Handball eV, was founded on 24.11.2006. The key message (see below), defined in 2006 has not changed until today – but the situation of handball has changed during the last decade.

Here is the GCH/FCH key message from 2006:

  1. Clubs, National Federations, European Handball Federation (EHF) and International Handball Federation (IHF) are competitors in the same market. All organizations are organizing handball matches in Europe. All organizations have their natural financial interests. All organizations are using the same players, dates, arenas, spectators, sponsors, tv-stations, agencys and so on.
  2. It is the target of FCH to achieve a balance of interests between all mentioned parties.
  3. It is a target of FCH to reduce the number of big Championships from currently 5 in 4 years (2 World Championships (WCH), 2 European Championships (ECH) and 1 Olympic Games (OG)) to three (but maximum 4) in 4 years.
  4. The big Championships shall be played between the end and the start of European Club season like in all other team sports. For the moment ECHs and WCHs take place in January.
  5. The Olympic Qualification tournaments shall be abolished. The Qualification could be organized via WCHs and ECHs as it used to be in the past.
  6. The number of National Team days shall be reduced. In Olympic years (ie 2008) handball players spent 120 days and more with the National team.
  7. Every day a player spends with the National Team shall be compensated by the National Federation, EHF or IHF.
  8. The player salary shall be ensured in favor of the club – whenever a player is performing for his National Team or a selction.
  9. The relation between clubs (FCH) and federations (EHF, IHF) shall be based on a written agreement – like in football.
  10. FCH represents the interests of the clubs in international organisations and vis-a-vis EHF and IHF

Today Forum Club Handball eV represents the (diverse) interests of almost 100 European top clubs, competing in the various European Cup competitions.

  1. In 2006 the European top clubs were not represented in any body of IHF, EHF or EHF Marketing GmbH.
  2. In 2006 the European top clubs did not receive any compensation for release of players to the National teams.
  3. In 2006 the players salaries were not insured when the players were called up to the National team.
  4. In 2006 the National Federations had almost unlimited access to use of National team players.

Due to work of Group/Forum Club Handball the situation has changed.

  1. The relationship between EHF/IHF on the one hand and FCH on the other hand is regulated by a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ (EHF), respectively a ‘Partnership Agreement’ (IHF):

European top clubs are represented via Forum Club Handball eV in various bodies of EHF/EHFM.

EHF:

FCH has one representative in the EHF Executive Committee

FCH has two representatives in the EHF Professional Handball Board

FCH has one representative in the EHF Competitions Commission

EHFM:

FCH has 3 representatives (50%) in the EHFM Men’s Club Board

FCH has 3 representatives (50%) in the EHFM Advisory Board

FCH has 1 representative in the EHF/M-Infront-FCH Strategy Committee

FCH has one comptroller for EHFM finances

FCH nominates the EHF Deputy Managing Director

IHF:

FCH has no formal representation in any IHF body.

IHF formally acknowledged the existence of clubs in November 2017.

  1. Today European top clubs receive compensation for release of players to the National team from EHF and IHF.
  1. Today the salaries of players are insured by EHF and IHF in favor of the clubs.
  1. Today the release of players to the National team is limited to a maximum of 60 days per season plus Olympic games.
  2. Today FCH appoints a club representative to the IHF Calendar working group.

EHF and FCH are working together in strategic partnership in order to improve European Club Handball.

IHF and FCH are working together in order to improve the position of handball worldwide with special emphasis on USA.

FCH exchanges information on a regular basis with the club organizations in other sports, like European Club Association (ECA) in football, Euroleague in Basketball, European Hockey Clubs (EHC) in Icehockey. Unfortunately the Association of Professional Volleyball Clubs (ACPV) in Volleyball disappeared.

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