According to a letter, sent from IHF to all IHF member federations and some selected Top clubs in Europe on 22.11.2012, IHF will ‘distribute the compensation fees only to those clubs which agree to work directly with the IHF without any mediator … ‘.

Forum Club Handball (FCH) understands this letter as an IHF reaction on the various FCH attempts, to discuss questions like good governance, calendar, compensation for release of players to the National team and insurance on an institutional level.

During the last weeks various letters of FCH to IHF and an FCH invitation for Dr. Hassan Moustafa remained without any answer.

(For receiving a copy of the IHF letter, please contact the FCH office)

On 19^th November 2012 the Professional Handball Board (PHB) discussed the latest developments in the VELUX EHF Championsleague (CL). The FORUM CLUB HANDBALL representatives demanded a joint approach of EHF, National Federations, Leagues and Clubs to work on the improvement of the product CL and the increase of the number of spectators in the arenas. TV ratings have to be improved. The EHF Executive Committee was requested to design individual solutions for the various markets.

The Professional Handball Board, composed out of two representatives from Players, Clubs, Leagues, National Federations and EHF, elected Joan Marin from BM Atletico Madrid until 2014 as chairman. The chairman of the PHB becomes automatically ordinary member of the EHF Executive Committee. The spanyard is currently also Vice-President of FCH. GB

The FCH Board and the EHFM Men’s Club Marketing Board met in Spain on 1.10.12. The elected representatives from Barcelona/ESP, Celje/SLO, Flensburg/GER, Hamburg/GER, Kiel/GER, Kielce/POL, Kolding/DEN, Madrid/ESP and Schaffhausen/SUI (Lund/SWE and Montpellier/FRA excused) discussed CL topics and the relation between Clubs and IHF.

It was unanimous opinion that the quality of the VELUX EHF Championsleague (CL) has been increased tremendously in the last years. Anyhow clubs and EHF shall increase their efforts and make further investments in the product in order to attract more spectators in the arenas and bigger audiences on TV.

IHF President Hassan Moustafa invited EHF, federation and club representatives from 11 countries (CRO, DEN, ESP, FRA, GER, HUN, NOR, SWE, POL, ROM, SRB) to a meeting in the IHF Headquater in Basel/SUI on 8.10.12. Representatives from important handball countries like ie Russia, Slovenia, Switzerland and others were not invited. The club representatives present prepared themselves for the meeting. One more time all clubs underlined their demand to base the relation between Clubs and IHF on a contractual basis.

Beside the agenda the Montpellier betting/match fixing case was in the center of discussion. Unanimously all clubs condemned the behaviour of the involved persons. All top clubs have clauses in their player contracts which prohibit betting of players and their relatives. The public interest in the case causes significant damage to the handball sports. All top clubs in Europe and their officials are requested to inform their players about the consequences of betting and match fixing for Handball in general.

FCH Managing Director G. Butzeck was invited as observer to the 9^th ordinary General Assembly of European Club Association (ECA), taking place in Geneva on 10.+11.9.12. The content of the new ‘Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)’ between UEFA and ECA was presented to the representatives of 135 football clubs. ECA Chairman K.H. Rummenigge (FC Bayern Munich, Germany) expressed himself satisfied with the document. At the same time he is ‘optimistic’ that in the near future a ‘similar agreement’ will be reached with FIFA.

The International Handball Federation (IHF) refused to start negotiations with FCH on a MoU before the next IHF Congress (which will take place in Qatar in October 2013). GB

During the last weekend the newly elected leadership of EHF and FCH met in Achenkirch/Austria to speak about the future of European Handball. The content of the meeting will be reported to the next FCH General Assembly, taking place in Barcelona on 25^th/26^th January 2013. GB

The 8th General Assembly took place in Cologne/Germany on the fringes of the VELUX EHF Championsleague Final4.

In the first part FCH Board members reported to 40 member clubs about the activities in the various EHF/M bodies.

Volker Zerbe summarized the financial situation.

The board and the General Manager were granted discharge.

In the second part the elections took part.

The following persons were elected as

–        Board Members:

Nation 1 (GER): Dierk Schmaeschke, Flensburg

Nation 2 (ESP): Joan Marin, Madrid

Nations 3-6 (FRA, RUS, HUN, SLO): Tomaz Jersic, Celje

Nations 7-12 (DEN, SUI, ROU, CRO, POR, MAK): Soren Colding, Copenhagen/DEN

Nations 13-49 (SWE, BIH, SRB, POL, NOR, AUT …): Bertus Servaas, Kielce/POL

–        President

Tomaz Jersic, Celje, SLO

–        Vice-President

Joan Marin, Madrid, ESP

Dierk Schmäschke, Flensburg, GER

–        Vice-President Finances

Dierk Schmäschke, Flensburg, GER

–        Deputy Board Member

Nation 1 (GER): Sabine Holdorf-Schust, Kiel

Nation 2 (ESP): Xavi O’Callaghan, Barcelona

Nations 3-6 (FRA, RUS, HUN, SLO): Robert Molines, Montpellier

Nations 7-12 (DEN, SUI, ROU, CRO, POR, MAK): Peter Leutwyler, Kadetten/SUI

Nations 13-49 (SWE, BIH, SRB, POL, NOR, AUT …): Karl Löfmark,  Lund/SWE

–        FCH representative ‘Professional Handball Board’ (PHB)

Joan Marin, Madrid, ESP

Gerd Butzeck, FCH General Manager

–        FCH representative ‘Men’s Club Marketing Board’ (MCMB)

Nation 1 (GER): Christoph Wendt, Hamburg

Nation 2 (ESP): Xavi O’Callaghan, Barcelona

Nations 3-6 (FRA, RUS, HUN, SLO): Tomaz Jersic, Celje, SLO

Nations 7-12 (DEN, SUI, ROU, CRO, POR, MAK): Jens Boesen, Kolding, DEN

Nations 13-49 (SWE, BIH, SRB, POL, NOR, AUT …): Radek Wasiak, Kielce, POL

–        Comptroller

Gerd Hofele, Göppingen, GER

In the third part the 8^th General Assembly after discussion unanimously advised the FCH Board to take all necessary measures to resolve existing issues with IHF.

The 9^th General Assembly of FCH will take place on occasion of the Semifinals of the next World Championship in Barcelona/Spain on 26^th/27^th January 2013. GB

39 Clubs from 19 countries registered for the 8th General Assembly of FORUM CLUB HANDBALL, taking place in Cologne on 27th May 2012 on occasion of the EHF VELUX CHAMPIONSLEAGUE FINAL4 event. In the first part of the meeting the club representatives will listen to the reports. In the second part the assembly will elect a new board and representatives for the various bodies in EHF and EHFM. After a break the assembly will discuss the relation between clubs, EHF and IHF. The relation between clubs and EHF is based on a Memorandum of Understanding, an according agreement with IHF is missing. In March 2012 IHF refused one more time to base the relation on a contractual basis. GB

Information of the FCH Election Supervisor: According to the statutes every club may nominate a FCH board member. The candidate board member had to be nominated until 13.5.2012.

According to the EHF European Cup Club Ranking 12/13 the nation, ranked first, the nation ranked second, the nations ranked 3-6, the nations ranked 7-12 and the nations ranked 13-49 will receive one seat in the board each (plus deputy).

In due time FCH Member Clubs nominated the following candidates as FCH Board Members:

Nation 1 (GER): Dierk Schmaeschke, Flensburg (member) + Sabine Holdorf-Schust, Kiel (deputy)

Nation 2 (ESP): Joan Marin, Madrid (member) + Xavi O’Callaghan, Barcelona (deputy)

Nations 3-6 (FRA, RUS, HUN, SLO): Tomaz Jersic, Celje (member) + Robert Molines, Montpellier (deputy)

Nations 7-12 (DEN, SUI, ROU, CRO, POR, MAK): Soren Colding, Copenhagen/DEN (member), Peter Leutwyler, Kadetten/SUI (deputy)

Nations 13-49 (SWE, BIH, SRB, POL, NOR, AUT …): Karl Löfmark,  Lund/SWE + Bertus Servas, Kielce/POL + Magnus Clarke, Dublin/IRL

The FCH General Assembly will elect the board members. The election will take place on 27^th May 2012 during the 8^th ordinary FCH General Assembly.

Gerd Butzeck/Election Supervisor

Surprisingly IHF declared to be unable to discuss a ‘Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)’ with the clubs. The MoU was supposed to base the relation between Clubs and IHF on a solid basis. Only 4 months ago IHF stated the President welcomes the proposal of a MoU and envisaged according negotiations.

According agreements – regulating compensation, insurance and calendar issues – do exist between UEFA and European Club Association (ECA) and between European Handball Federation (EHF) and FCH. The FCH General Assembly will deal with the issue on 27th May 2012 in Cologne. GB