Today the trial of 16 Bundesliga Clubs against the German Handball Federation (DHB) and International Handball Federation (IHF) started at the Landgericht Dortmund.  DHB and IHF shall be adjudged to refrain from obligating the clubs in the scope of their currently valid regulations to second their employed foreign handball players upon demand of their respective national federations for measures of said national federations.

Judge Harbort reported in detail on the case. He discussed the responsibility of the court (Landgericht Dortmund), based on the Lugano agreement. The complaint challenges the monopoly of IHF/DHB on the basis of competition law.

The 16 Bundesliga clubs were represented by Duvinage-lawyers Munich, Mr. Heesch. The DHB was represented by the chief of the DHB legal department, Heinz Winden. IHF was represented by Ulrich Strombach/Jost, Strombach&Beer.

A first Statement of the judge is to be expected on 16th October 2013. Please contact the FCH Office for further information.   GB