Herewith we invite all FCH member clubs to the 12^th General Assembly of Forum Club Handball (FCH), taking place

on 1^st June 2014 from 9.30 till 14 hours at

Art’otel Cologne, Holzmarkt 4, 50676 Köln/Germany, Tel +49 221 801030

http://www.artotels.com/cologne-hotel-de-50676/gercoart

This invitation is addressed to all FCH Members which are the:

• Top 24 Championsleague teams
• Top 32 EHF Cup teams
• Top 16 Challenge Cup teams
• All National Champions 2013
• All teams, leading in the National Championship on 1^st April 2014

The arrival of the participants is scheduled Saturday, 31^st May 2014 in the morning. In the afternoon all club representatives will attend the Semi-Finals of the VELUX EHF Championsleague Final4 event.

The 12^th General Assembly will take place on Sunday, 1^st June 2014 from 9.30 – 14.00 hours in the hotel. All participants are invited to attend the Finals of the VELUX EHF Championsleague season 2013/14.  After the Meeting the participants will have the possibility to watch the finals of the VELUX EHF Championsleague Final4.

Meeting Agenda:

1. Opening/Welcome of Guests
2. Role Call
3. Approval of the Minutes of the 11^th FCH General Assembly
4. Reports 2012 – 2014

• FCH President Jersic, incl. Men’s Club Marketing Board (MCMB)
• FCH Vice-President Marin, incl. EHF Executive Committee
• FCH Vice-President Schmaeschke, incl. IHF Matters
• FCH General Manager Butzeck, incl. ‘Professional Handball Board’ (PHB) Matters
• FCH President Jersic – New ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ (MoU)
• Comptroller Gerd Hofele, Finances
• Discussion

5. Discharge Finances

6. Discharge Board/Office holders

7. Nomination of the Election Supervisor

8. Elections

9. Cooperation with WFCH/Decision

10. Budget 2014-2016

11. Miscellaneous

12. Closing

All FCH members are requested to forward proposals for FCH board member candidates. A detailed information on the election procedure will follow here.

We kindly ask you to register for the meeting via e-mail to office@forumclubhandball.com until 5^th May 2014, 12:00 hours am. For more detailed information please go to ‘Next General Assembly’.

Due to heavy workload and easter Holidays the German Court Landgericht Dortmund will not announce a decision on 23rd April, but  only on 14th May 2014.

During todays draws of the EHF-Cup- and VELUX EHF CL-Quarterfinals the presidents of the European Handball Federation (EHF) Jean Brihault and Forum Club Handball (FCH) Tomaz Jersic prolonged the current MoU (signed in May 2010) until June 2018. The new MoU had been discussed for more than one year during the FCH General Assemblies and in various meetings with the EHF Leadership. ‘We had tough but correct negotiations with FCH’, underlined Jean Brihault. The modified MoU foresees increased fees for release of players to the European Championships and, for the first time, a FCH representation in the EHFM Advisory Board, the decision taking body in the structure of EHFM. ‘This will be the most important for the clubs’, underlined Tomaz Jersic after signing the document. ‘In the future the clubs will sit at the table when the decisions will be taken!’ All details of the MoU will be presented to the FCH General Assembly in Cologne on 1^st June 2014.

Another day in court: Yesterday the lawyers of 17 Clubs of the HBL, the German Handball Federation (DHB) and the International Handball Federation (IHF) met at the court Landgericht Dortmund. Judge Harbort will anounce a decision end of April 2014.

The history: On 2. April 2013 the 17 German Clubs

THW Kiel

SG Flensburg-Handewitt

HSV Hamburg

TSV Hannover-Burgdorf

Rhein-Neckar-Lions

Frisch-Auf! Göppingen

TBV Lemgo

MT Melsungen

TUS Nettelstedt-Lübbecke

HBW Balingen-Weilstetten

VFL Gummersbach

GWD Minden

TV Grosswallstadt

TuSEM Essen

TV Emsdetten

Bergischer HC

ASV Hamm

lodged a complaint against International Handball Federation (IHF) and Deutscher Handball Bund (DHB).

IHF and DHB shall be adjudged to refrain from obligating the Clubs to second their employed foreign handball players upon demand of their respective national federations for measures of said national federations.

The complaint is the result of a non-communication between the club representations GROUP CLUB HANDBALL EEIG (GCH) and Forum Club Handball eV (FCH) which started in 2006 when GCH proposed its support to IHF in matters of professional handball without any response.

In 2010 EHF and GCH/FCH signed a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ (MoU), regulating the implementation of Club representatives into the bodies of EHF and EHF Marketing GmbH, compensation for release of players to the National teams, insurance and calendar questions. The current MoU expires end of this season and is expected to be renewed shortly.

According agreements do exist in Football between European Club Association (ECA) on the one hand and UEFA/FIFA on the other hand.

During the course of 2010+2011 GCH/FCH led negotiations with IHF. IHF press releases spoke about historical meetings with club representatives.

In January 2011 for the first time in history IHF paid compensation for release of players to the World Championship and signed an insurance for player salaries for injured players in favor of the clubs.

In May 2011 the IHF Council proposed to the IHF Marrakesh Congress to integrate the clubs as stakeholders into the IHF bylaws. This implementation was not agreed with the clubs. The clubs were supposed to fulfill a big number of obligations without getting any rights. This proposal fortunately and reasonably was refused by a number of European Federations. It was not adopted.

Anyhow IHF continued negotiations with FCH. In December 2011 FCH received the information, that ‘the President welcomes the proposal of a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’’.

In March 2012 IHF changed its point of view and refused a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’, using the Marrakesh Congress decision as argumentation. FCH was informed that ‘We are unable to discuss a MoU at present’.

In May 2012 the FCH General Assembly decided to take all necessary measures to achieve a written agreement with IHF.

Further letters of FCH to IHF and an invitation to a meeting remained without answer.

Im Sportradio 360 berichtet Sascha Staat unter der Rubrik ‘Kreis ab’ in regelmässigen Abständen über aktuelle Themen des Handballs.

In der Episonde 14 geht es um die Historie von GROUP CLUB HANDBALL und FORUM CLUB HANDBALL in der Episode 15 um aktuelle Themen zum Handball in Europa. Gesprächspartner ist in beiden Fällen der Geschäftsführer des FCH, Gerd Butzeck.

Teil 1: http://sportradio360.de/kreis-ab-episode-14/

Teil 2: http://sportradio360.de/kreis-ab-episode-15/

European Cup-Winner Rhein-Neckar-Löwen joined the complaint, lodged by 16 Bundesliga Clubs against DHB/IHF in April 2013. The next hearing in court is scheduled for 12^th March 2014. GB

The ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ (MoU) with European Handball Federation (EHF) was the major point on the agenda of the 11^th FCH General Assembly (GA). The 36 Top clubs from 19 countries, among them 21 VELUX EHF Championsleague (CL) representatives and for the first time the manager of an English Club, London HB, discussed the result of the negotiations between the leadership of EHF and FCH. The GA entitled the board of FCH to sign the ‘MoU’ on basis of the presented results.

The GA discussed the possibility to change the VELUX EHF Championsleague (CL) system for season 2014/15. In order to clarify the conditions for the new system it was proposed to execute a possible change as of season 2015/16.

The 12^th GA will take place on occasion of the VELUX EHF Championsleague Final Four in Cologne/GER on 1^st June 2014.

The GA advised the General Manager (GM) to work out project for the 13^th Ordinary General Assembly of FCH to take place on the fringes of the World Championship (WCH) 2015 in Qatar.

18.1.2014 FCH General Assembly supports change of the VELUX EHF Championsleague playing system as of 2015

Basically EHF, Clubs and Leagues agree that the VELUX EHF Championsleague playing system shall be changed. In order to clarify the conditions for the new system, the change shall take place as of season 2015/16. Conditions and the according calendar shall be fixed by EHF in spring 2014 latest.

18.1.2014 FCH General Assembly supports cooperation with Women Top Clubs 

On request of the chairman of the Women’s Club Board (WCB) Kay-Sven Hähner, the General Assembly (GA) disussed a cooperation of the leading Men and Women Clubs. It was decided to work out a project for cooperation until the next GA.

18.1.2014 FCH General Assembly decides on a project for emerging clubs

On request of Doukas Handball Club (Athens, Greece) the General Assembly (GA) discussed the question, how to strengthen handball in emerging countries. The Forum Club Handball (FCH) board proposed that every top club shall take a patronat for one emerging club on a voluntarily basis. The emerging clubs may request a patronat at the FCH office. Together the club and FCH shall determine a program, targets and a timeline. The Top club will be provided by decision of the FCH board.

18.1.2014 FCH General Assembly elects Vice-President Joan Marin to become Honorary Member of FCH

During the 11^th General Assembly (GA) of Forum Club Handball (FCH) Joan Marin unanimously was elected as Honorary member. The current FCH Vice-President served as GROUP CLUB HANDBALL EEIG (GCH) President from 2006 – 2011. During this time he represented the interests of former CL-Winner BM Ciudad Real. As of the formal foundation of FCH, Joan Marin served as Vice-President of FCH (representative of BM Atletico Madrid). In this capacity he became chairman of the Professional Handball Board (PHB) and member of the Executive Committee of the EHF. Although BM Atletico Madrid is no longer existing, FCH confirmed his office until the end of the current period (June 2014).

According to the FCH statutes Honorary members may have an office at FCH.

The European Handball family faced a discussion about brutality in Handball during the last days. Origin of this discussion are the brutal scenes of an EHF-Cup match, which were posted on YouTube last Tuesday and reached more than 230.000 views within four days. The actions, shown in this clip, tremendously harm our beloved Handball sport.

The board of Forum Club Handball (FCH) unanimously condemns any kind of brutal and unfair Handball and calls up all players, referees, coaches, officials and fans to support fair and sportive behavior.

EHF is called up to undertake all steps necessary, to avoid scenes like these in the future. (FCH Board)

Brutalität im Handball

Die Europäische Handball Familie sieht sich seit einigen Tagen einer Diskussion über Brutalität im Handballsport ausgesetzt. Den Ursprung für diese Diskussion bilden brutale Szenen aus einem EHF-Cup Spiel, die am letzten Dienstag auf YouTube gepostet und innerhalb von 4 Tagen mehr als 230.000 mal aufgerufen wurden. Die gezeigten Szenen schädigen in höchstem Maße den von uns so geliebten Handballsport.

Der Vorstand von Forum Club Handball (FCH) verurteilt einstimmig jede Art von brutalem und unfairen Handball und ruft alle Spieler, Schiedsrichter, Trainer, Offizielle und Fans auf, faires und sportliches Verhalten zu unterstützen.

Die EHF wird aufgerufen, alle notwendigen Schritte einzuleiten, um eine Wiederholung derartiger Szenen zu verhindern.   (FCH Vorstand)

The Landgericht Dortmund court yesterday announced to continue the trial of 16 Bundesliga-Clubs against Deutscher Handball Bund (DHB) and International Handball Federation (IHF) with a meeting on 26^thFebruary 2014. Both parties were requested to provide further documents. IHF and DHB shall be adjudged to refrain from obligating the Clubs to second their employed foreign handball players upon demand of their respective national federations for measures of said national federations. GB

GB

The FCH board met for its ordinary meeting in Spain on 14^th of October. The major topic of the agenda was the development of the EHF Championsleague. Together with the guests M. Wiederer/Secretary General EHF and M. Glaser/Head Competitions EHF the board discussed possibilities to improve the product ‘VELUX EHF Championsleague’. Mutual consent was achieved that the quality of the matches/events has to be improved. The participants discussed various options, how to increase the attendance in the arenas and the number of TV viewers. A reduction of the number of participants and a licensing system were discussed. The EHF representatives will evaluate the situation together with sponsors and handling agency. Changes are possible as of season 2014/15.

The internal part of the meeting dealt with the prolongation of the EHF-FCH ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ (MoU), the various wishes related to the number of matches to be played in the Championsleague and the upcoming IHF Congress.

FCH Vice-President Joan Marin, elected as board member Atletico Madrid, was confirmed in his office until the end of the current period. He is proposed to be elected ‘Honorary Member’ during the next General Assembly.

The project ‘Partnerships of top and emerging clubs on European level’ was confirmed. It will be on the agenda of the next FCH General assembly, taking place in Copenhagen on 18^th January 2014 (for more details visit our page: Next General Assembly).