Germany, handball-world.com: Strombach: “Wenn der DHB verklagt wird, wird er den Prozess aufnehmen”

http://www.handball-world.com/o.red.c/news-1-1-1-45171.html

Spain, Blog-de-Rosca: FCH clubs critisize lack of respect of IHF

http://www.cope.es/blog-De-Rosca/Los-clubes-del-FCH-critican-la-falta-respeto-de-la-IHF.html

USA, team handball news:

http://teamhandballnews.com/wordpress/2013/02/top-clubs-put-pressure-on-ihf-through-lawsuit-against-german-federation/

Germany, handball-world.com:

http://www.handball-world.com/o.red.c/news-1-1-1-44947.html

Slovenia, Ljubljanske Novice:

http://www.ljnovice.com/default.asp?podrocje=40&menu=7&novica=168639

Belgium:

http://www.handbal.be/all/nieuws.php?id=1506&cat

Germany:

http://sport.t-online.de/handball-bundesliga-klagt-gegen-dhb/id_61863652/index

For a very long time European Top Clubs tried to reach an agreement with International Handball Federation (IHF) on issues like ‚Good governance‘, calendar, compensation and insurance – without any success. During the last months IHF did not even reply on FCH letters or an invitation to a personal meeting.

Now the clubs decided to take action: a number of German clubs will lodge a complaint against IHF (for formal reasons the German Federation will be included). ‘Up to today we have no formal information about the compensation which we will receive from IHF for sending our players to the World Championship in Spain’ stated a club official during the FCH meeting which took place on the fringes of the World Championship in Barcelona on 26.1.13. The clubs complained about a lack of respect of IHF. ‘We are the heart of the game. We are paying the players. We are doing the work. They take our players whenever they want, they earn a lot of money and refuse speaking to us’ – the opinion of the 40 club representatives from 25 countries was more than clear.

According to the statutes of the IHF the clubs are not existing. The complaint intends to improve the situation of the clubs. ‘We are comparing our situation to football’, says FCH President Tomaz Jersic/Slovenia. ‘And we want our relation to be based on written agreement – as we did with European Handball Federation (EHF)!’ Clubs and EHF signed a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ (MoU) in May 2010.

In football the European Club Association (ECA) has reached agreements with UEFA and FIFA. Clubs are represented in the bodies of UEFA and FIFA.

The IHF will be adjudged to refrain from obligating the clubs in the scope of their currently valid regulations to release their employed foreign handball players upon demand of their respective national federations for National team matches. The complaint will be lodged as soon as possible.

The 9^th General Assembly of Forum Club Handball (FCH) took place in Barcelona on 26^th Jan 2013. 39 Member clubs from 25 countries were present and discussed issues of interest for European Top clubs.

It was decided that the establishment of the European Games by the EOC may not lead to an increase of the number of big competitions. Currently Handball plays 5 big competitions (2 WCHs, 2 ECHs + 1 OG) in one Olympic cycle. The clubs accept the participation of Handball in the European Games, under the condition that a plan for a reduction to 4 big competitions is confirmed by IHF, EHF and FCH.

The General Assembly discussed the relation between IHF and clubs. The IHF refused any contacts with club representatives until 2010. In December 2011 IHF envisaged a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ (MoU) between clubs and IHF. This commitment was withdrawn in 2012. Various letters of FCH and an invitation for a meeting remained without answer.

Starting from 2006 EHF is in close communication with clubs. Although there were different opinions of various issues in the past, a MoU has been signed between FCH and EHF in May 2010. This MoU contains agreements on  issues like ‘Good Governance’, calendar, compensation for release of players to the National Teams, insurance and the involvement of club representatives in the various bodies of EHF and EHF Marketing GmbH.

In Football UEFA signed an according agreement with the European Club Association (ECA) in January 2008, dealing with the same issues. It has been prolonged recently. FIFA made according agreements with ECA. Club representatives are working in FIFA bodies. Calendar, insurance, and compensation issues are agreed.

IHF imposes all regulations, calendar, compensation and insurance on clubs without any negotiation. Therefore at least 12 German clubs will lodge a complaint against IHF. The clubs decided to clarify the question, whether IHF has the right to act in this way. As the IHF monopoly is executed via the National Federations, it is necessary to direct the complaint against IHF and one (in this case the German) National Federation. The complaint shall be lodged as soon as possible. GB

The General Secretary of the European Handball Federation (EHF) Michael Wiederer will be guest speaker at the beginning of the upcoming 9th FCH General Assembly. He will report on the status of Handball as part of the European Games 2015 in Baku and explain the EHF point of view regarding possible changes of the EHF European Cup system. Further guests in the meeting will be the observers David Frommer from European Club Association/Football and Thomas Kurth/World Series Cycling. GB

On 22.11.12 IHF sent a letter to all European Handball Federations. The key message: ‘The (IHF) Council also decided to distribute the compensation fees only to those clubs which agree to work directly with the IHF without any mediator other than the NFs (National Federations).’

FCH member clubs regard this to be direct blackmail.

The sentence was quoted from the corresponding IHF Council minutes, which say:  ‘The Council also decided to distribute the compensation fees only to those clubs which agree to work directly with the IHF without any mediator other than the NFs.’

The fact is that this sentence has apparently been added to the minutes at a later stage by the IHF President. In an earlier version of these minutes this sentence did not appear.

It seems that IHF/President Hassan Moustafa has produced a second version to put pressure on the clubs.  As a consequence the European National Federations could get a wrong understanding of what had really been decided by the IHF Council.

FCH believes this to be an unacceptable way of acting of the President of the International Handball Federation (IHF). FCH will take measures to rectify.

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.’

This is the official invitation to the 9^th General Assembly of Forum Club Handball (FCH), taking place on 26^th January 2013 from 9.30 – 14 hours at Hotel Miramar, Pl. Carlos Ibáñez, 3, 08038 Barcelona, Tel. +34 932 811 600, www.hotelmiramarbarcelona.com, Spain.

It 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

The arrival of the participants is scheduled on Friday, 25^th Janary 2013. In the afternoon all club representatives will attend the two Semifinals of the World Championship. The venue, Palau St. Jordi, is in footwalking distance from the hotel.

The 9^th General Assembly (GA) will take place on Saturday, 26^th January 2012 from 9.30 – 14.00 hours. Departure is after the meeting.

The meeting will be split in two parts. In the first part there will be reports on activities, motions and elections. The second part is reserved for consultation on the relation between IHF and FCH.

In the topic ‘Election’ a new board member for countries ranked 7-12 will be elected – as Soren Colding/AG Copenhagen left the board. According to the FCH ‘Rules of Procedure’ and ‘Election Order’, Clubs from Denmark (7th), Switzerland (8th), Roumania (9th), Croatia (10th), Portugal (11th) and Makedonia (12) are requested to nominate a candidate until 12th January 2013.

FCH will cover the costs for the hotel room (one night, incl. breakfast) and for one person per club the Semifinal tickets. Every club representative has to cover his own travel expenses. All clubs are asked to register for the meeting until 28^th December 2012 latest. Ticket and hotel can not be guaranteed, if a club registers at a later stage.

Further detailed information will follow. GB

Spanish blog-de-Rosca headline: FCH prepares measures against IHF

http://www.cope.es/blog-De-Rosca/Forum-Club-Handball-FCH-prepara-medidas-contra-la-IHF.html

The American webblog www.teamhandballnews.com comments on the relation IHF – FCH:

http://teamhandballnews.com/wordpress/2012/11/ihf-continues-to-refuse-to-deal-with-the-fch-the-official-association-of-the-european-top-clubs/

On 22^nd of November 2012 IHF informed the European National Federations and some selected Top clubs that IHF will ‘distribute the compensation fees (for the World Championship in Spain) only those clubs which agree to work directly with the IHF without any mediator …’.

On 24. November 2012 the board of commented on the letter as follows:

Dear Presidents of the National Handball Federations,

dear Forum Club Handball member clubs,

as you know, Forum Club Handball (FCH) is the organization of the European Top Clubs, representing the Top 24 teams of the Championsleague, the Top 32 of the EHF Cup, the top 16 of the Challenge-Cup and all National Champions. FCH is recognized by EHF as the sole organization, representing the interests of European top clubs.

On 27^th May 2012 the 8^th General Assembly of FCH decided unanimously that ‘the FCH board shall take all necessary measures to resolve existing issues with IHF in writing, similar to the agreement reached with EHF. …. The agreement shall contain IHF commitments regarding insurance, compensation, calendar and governance.’

The following letter represents the opinion of the board members of FCH from the following clubs:

FC Barcelona/Spain

RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko/Slovenia

SG Flensburg/Germany

KS Vive Targi Kielce/Poland

THW Kiel/Germany

Lugi Lund/Sweden

Montpellier HB/France

Kadetten Schaffhausen/Switzerland

Our letter refers to the IHF letter to the European Member Federations in Europe, dated 22^nd November 2012 (see attachment).

In this letter Dr. Moustafa states that it was ‘my idea to bring the motion to include the clubs’ as stakeholders into the IHF Bylaws’. And ‘regrettably some of the European National Federations opposed this motion so that it was eventually rejected by the Congress.’

At no point IHF discussed with the clubs the implementation of clubs into the IHF bylaws. We have to state clearly that the motion of Dr. Moustafa had the only intention to enable IHF to keep control over the clubs.

(16. The IHF shall issue Statutes, Regulations … regulate the relations between its stakeholders …. The IHF shall also regulate its rights and obligations towards its stakeholders.

17. It shall control every type of stakeholders by taking appropriate steps to prevent infringements of the Statutes, Regulations …. )

IHF wanted to impose obligations on the clubs without giving any rights. For good reason this approach was rejected by a number of reasonable representatives of the European Federations.

We also have to contradict to the summary of the IHF meeting with Top Nations and Top Clubs. From club point of view IHF informed about the compensation for the World Championship 2013. Any discussion was avoided from IHF. A big number of high ranked handball officials came to a very short meeting to enable IHF to argue that they are communicating with clubs and National Federations.

The letter states that the Super Globe is organized ‘for the sole financial interest of the clubs’. According to our information IHF receives the same amount of money as the clubs receive as price money. From Europe only two clubs are participating. Our major interest is not to discuss the Super Globe – but the release of players to World Championships, Qualification for World Championships and Qualification for Olympic Games.

The letter continues: ‘The Council decided to distribute the compensation fees only to those clubs which agree to work directly with the IHF without any mediator other than the NFs’. (FCH is not a mediator, but the sole recognized by EHF organization, having the mandate to act in the name of its member clubs).

This sentence does not correspond to the information, which has been provided to us by EHF President Jean Brihault. But we understand that IHF intends to sign direct agreements with the clubs – as FIFA did in the past. The difference: In football the conditions were agreed between clubs and FIFA/UEFA.

IHF obviously intends to blackmail the clubs: If you, club, sign the agreement, you will receive the money. If you do not sign the agreement, you will not receive money.

The question arising is logical. Does it mean that the clubs which will not receive money do not have to send their players to the World Championship?

FIFA has an agreement with clubs, so does UEFA. EHF signed a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ (MoU) with the clubs.

In December 2011 we thought to be on a good way, receiving the information from IHF Managing Director Mrs Khalifa: ‘the President … welcome your proposal to the memorandum of understanding which should be followed by a meeting with you the near further’.

Three months later we received a letter, explaining exactly the opposite: ‘we (IHF) are unable to discuss a Memorandum of Understanding at present.’

During the last weeks various FCH letters and an invitation to a meeting remained without answer.

The world has changed during the last years. Professional handball has developed rapidly. The players are under contract with their clubs 12 months per year. We strongly believe that calendar, compensation for release of player to the National team and insurance should be agreed between clubs and IHF (as it is agreed between Clubs and EHF).

We offered a couple of times to start negotiation on an agreement. We offered to enlarge FCH on world level.

As IHF refuses communication with FCH, we will have to find ways to clarify the following questions:

Does IHF has the right to decide unilaterally – without negotiating with the clubs

• all calendar issues?
• the amount of compensation to be paid to the clubs for player release?
• the type of insurance cover?

The clubs underlined from the very beginning that there should be no payments from the National Federations to the clubs for release of players to the big Championships. Such payments shall be made by EHF/IHF.

It is now up to the National Federations to decide whether they prefer to defend the interests of their member clubs or the interests of IHF President Hassan Moustafa.

At the same time it is up to the clubs to decide whether to accept being blackmailed by IHF or whether to stand up and fight for their ligitimate rights through their own club organization which is FORUM CLUB HANDBALL – The heart of the Game!

With kind regards

FORUM CLUB HANDBALL eV

(FCH board member signatures in alphabetical order)

FC Barcelona/Spain

RK Celje Pivovarna Lasko/Slovenia

SG Flensburg/Germany

KS Vive Targi Kielce/Poland

THW Kiel/Germany

Lugi Lund/Sweden

Montpellier AHB/France

Kadetten Schaffhausen/Switzerland