The ordinary Board meeting season 14/15 took place in Spain on 20. Oct 2014. It was a historical meeting in two aspects: For the first time ever the leadership of the Men’s and the Women’s Forum met in order to share experiences during a common dinner and for the first time ever an IHF guest attend FCH: the 1. Vice-President Miguel Roca.

In the first part of the meeting the board of FCH dealt with reports and ordinary business. Radek Wasiak/Kielce was nominated FCH representative of the EHF Competition Commission.

In the second part the FCH lawyers Prof Duvinage and Dr. Heesch informed on the complaint, lodged by 17 Bundesliga-Clubs against the German Federation (DHB) and the International Handball Federation (IHF). The Clubs won the first instance.

The court Landgericht Dortmund decided the following: For the German Handball Federation DHB and the Internationale Handball Föderation (IHF) it is prohibited

a)  to oblige the plaintiffs to release their foreign National team player employees to the according National Teams and/or

b)  in case that the plaintiffs do not act according to the request oft he foreign National Federation to punish the plaintiffs or to enforce the punishment of the plaintiffs

The third part was devoted to the discussion with the IHF representative which took place in a positive athmosphere. FCH welcomed the initiative of the IHF Council to limit the number of national team days to 60 per year. Anyhow it was stated that the IHF Council has the right to change this regulation at any time. Roca underlined that this was the first official meeting between IHF and FCH, the World Federation and the Clubs are on a good way. From his point of view it should be possible to come to a written agreement in the near future. Further contacts were envisaged.

The first joint board meeting of Women and Men Forum Club Handball representatives will take place in Spain on 20./21. October 2014.  Top issue during the Men’s Forum will be the complaint of 17 German Bundesliga-Clubs against the German Handball Federation (DHB) and International Handall Federation (IHF). IHF 1. Vice-President Miguel Roca will attend the meeting and explain the position of the world federation.

The Women’s Forum will have to discuss targets and a strategy for the next years. One of the points on the agenda will be the WOMEN PROFESSIONAL HANDBALL LEAGUE. The concept of this league will be presented by Managing Director Biljana Crvenkoska.

17 Clubs of the DKB Handball-Bundesliga lodged a complaint against German Handball Federation (DHB) and International Handball Federation (IHF) in April 2013. IHF and DHB should 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 Clubs, supported from FCH, won the first instance at the court Landgericht Dortmund in May 2014. Now – as expected – DHB and IHF lodged an appeal at the court Oberlandesgericht Düsseldorf.

Internationale Handball Federation (IHF) President Dr. Hassan Moustafa conveyed his ‘heartfelt congratulations’ to Joan Marin on his election as President Forum Club Handball (FCH).

‘I wish you every success in your tasks and challenges and look forward to cooperating with you for the benefit of the further development of our sport.’

The congratulations were accompanied by an invitation to visit the match of the ‘IHF World Selection’ vs the Egypt National Team in favor of a Cairo Hospital for children with cancer.

IHF extended the World Championship in Qatar. The National Teams of 24 countries will spend two more days in the Mid East. Instead of 17th January 2015 the Championship will now start on 15th of January 2015. This means for the Clubs that they have to release their players 768 days (= 24 Teams x 16 Players x 2 days) more to the IHF competition. As usual this change was not agreed with the Clubs.

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.

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.

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 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

According to German www.handballtime.de, the International Handball Federation (IHF) is about to sign a new record contract for period 2014-17. The contract will contain the media rights for 2 Men-, 2  Women- and Junior-World Championships. The offer is expected to be about 100 Mio CHF. According to handballtime.de, 5 offers have been made, one of them by Qatarian Al Jazeera. The IHF will choose the new partner during the upcoming Council meeting, taking place on the fringes of the 2013 World Championship Women, starting next week in Belgrade/Serbia.