The International Handball Federation (IHF) established an insurance for player salaries in case of injury for the last World Championship/Sweden 2011 and for the Olympic Games (OG) Qualification Tournament in April 2012. IHF does not plan to write an insurance for the OG in London 2012. A high IHF Official confirmed last week: ‘This will be under the responsibility of the National Olympic Committees’. GB
The first seminar for Handball Club Managers will take place in Cologne/Germany from 24.5 to 26.6.2012.
All European club managers, participating in the various European Cups, will be obliged to attend one seminar within the next 3 years. The seminar is based on the ‘Best practice’ system, granting concrete support to increase the number of spectators and sponsors in handball. At the same time concrete information for daily work in handball will be provided.
Clubs are kindly requested to register as quick as possible (hoeritsch@eurohandball.com) due to a limited number of available places. Registration will be on ‘first come – first serve’ basis. Deadline for registration: 20.4.12! GB
According to information of InsideWorldFootball (5.4.2012) FIFA decided that the participation in Olympic Games is compulsory for U23 players. According to FIFA this decisions is covered by existing rules that state “a duty to release players exists on the basis of a special decision by the FIFA Executive Committee”. ECA Vice-President Gandini/AC Milan commented that this decision came ‘completely out of the blue’. ECA President Rummenigge/FC Bayern attended a recent FIFA strategy meeting at which the under 23 issue never arose. In Football the Olympic Games are not part of the International Calendar ‘and therefore the participation has never been compulsary’, added Gandini. Obviously FIFA took the decision without discussing the issue with the stakeholders concerned. The ECA board will discuss the FIFA decision during a board meeting in Munich next week.
In Warsaw the 8th General Assembly (GA) ECA announced a new agreement with UEFA, replacing the ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ (MoU), signed in 2008. The new agreement shall run from 1st June 2012 until 30th May 2018. Therefore it includes the EURO 2012 in Poland/Ukraine but not the World Cup 2018 in Russia.
For the first time UEFA agreed to establish an insurance, covering the injury risk of players while on international team duty for all National team matches, including both official and friendly matches.
The compensation, paid to clubs for release of players to the National teams, will be increased significantly. Details will be announced during the next UEFA Congress in March 2012.
In the future clubs will have a ‘Referral Right’ on all decisions affecting club football. This means that no further decision will be taken without the consent of the clubs.
The number of National team matches will be reduced. International matches will be played as double-headers only. There will be no more single friendlies in the future.
In the future no player will be allowed to play more than one international tournament per year. In Handball FCH is complaining for more than 5 years that players do play two competitions every 4 years in the Olympic season on regular basis and demanding a reduction of the number of big competitions.
ECA Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge/FC Bayern München commented on the agreement ‚as a major break-through for European Club football‘. At the same time he continued to criticize that ‘the situation remains unsatisfactory in relation to FIFA’.
After a stop of the negotiations between FIFA and ECA regarding a long term agreement, ECA representatives did not follow FIFA invitations to attend FIFA club meetings during the last months.
Forum Club Handball (FCH) signed a similar agreement with European Handball Federation (EHF) in May 2010 which expires in June 2014.
In February 2012 FCH and International Handball Federation (IHF) decided to start negotiations on an agreement, regulating the relation between Clubs and IHF. For the moment the clubs have no claims for compensation or insurance. According to the statutes of IHF the clubs are not even existing. GB
On request of FORUM CLUB HANDBALL (FCH) the President of International Handball Federation (IHF) Dr. Hassan Moustafa and his 1st Vice-President Miguel Roca met the leadership of FCH in Basle on 7th February 2012. FCH President Tomaz Jersic/SLO and his Vice-Presidents Joan Marin/ESP and Dierk Schmäschke/GER expressed the wish of the clubs to establish the cooperation of IHF and FCH on a contractual basis. It was agreed to start work on an according draft including calendar, insurance, compensation and governance issues.
President Moustafa ensured his guests that clubs are always welcome to forward their request to the IHF office. In the future clubs will be informed by IHF about new developments directly. GB
The 7th ordinary General Assembly of FCH took place in Belgrade on 28th January. Prior to the meeting the participants watched the Semi-Finals of the EHF Euro 2012. In the first part of the meeting the participants were informed about the activities of the FCH board members. Various motions, proposed by the board, were adopted. In the second part the assembly welcomed EHF Vice-President J. Brihault, EHF Gen Secretary M. Wiederer, EPHLA President Reiner Witte and others. The future of European Club Handball was discussed. For the moment beside the merger of EHF Cup and Cup Winners Cup no major changes are to be expected.
Finally the clubs asked EHF to organize the 1. Final Tournament of the new EHF Cup in Vienna in order to simplify the playing system.
For more detailed information please click ‘Forum Club Handball’ on this page. GB
The European Club Association (ECA) will send an observer to the 7th General Assembly of Forum Club Handball (FCH). David Frommer is ECA advisor for Public and EU Affairs. During the last week Europe’s top football clubs have opened talks with the world federation FIFA aimed at resolving a long-running dispute over World Cup revenues and other club-versus-country issues. GB
Famous RK Zagreb from Croatia registered as club No. 40 for participation in the 7th ordinary assembly of FORUM CLUB HANDBALL (FCH), taking place on 28.1.2012 in Belgrade/Serbia.
Barcelona, Madrid, Kiel, Hamburg, Arendal/NOR, Belgrad/SRB, Bjerringbro-Silkeborg/DEN, Bozen/ITA, Celje/SLO, Chambery/FRA, Copenhagen/DEN, Doukas/GRE, Dublin/IRE, FyllingenBergen/NOR, Flensburg/GER, Kadetten/SUI, Kielce/POL, KriensLuzern/SUI, Kolding/DEN, Koper/SLO, Lemgo/GER, Sporting/POR, Montpellier/FRA, Nexe/CRO, Novi Sad/SRB, Olimpius/MLD, Presov/SVK, Rhein-Neckar-Löwen/GER, Sarajevo/BIH, Savehof/SWE, Skopje/MKD, Thun/SUI, Volendam/NED, West/FIN, Zaporozhe/UKR
The registration deadline was 23.12.2011. If your club wants to join the meeting, please contact the FCH office for a special arrangement.
European Handball Federation (EHF) and European Handball Federation Marketing GmbH confirmed their participation in the 7th ordinary assembly of FORUM CLUB HANDBALL eV. Beside EHF and EHFM the European Professional Handball Leagues Association (EPHLA) and the TOYOTA Handball-Bundesliga (HBL) will be present as guests.
The second part of the FCH meeting will deal with the structure of the various European Cups in the future. HBL insists that European Cup matches shall be played on weekdays. This position is supported be EPHLA. The assembly will discuss the merger of EHF Cup and Cup Winners Cup and the future of Regional leagues. GB
All European Top Clubs are here with invited to the 7th ordinary General Assembly of FORUM CLUB HANDBALL (FCH), taking place on the final weekend of the EHF Euro 2012 in Belgrade/SRB.
This invitation is directed to the
- top 24 clubs of the VELUX EHF Championsleague (CL) season 2011/12
- top 16 clubs of the EHF Cup season 2011/12
- top 16 clubs of the Cup-Winners Cup season 2011/12
- top 16 clubs of the Challenge Cup season 2011/12
and all National champions of season 2010/11.
Date:
The General Assembly will take place on Saturday, 28.1.2012, 10 – 14:30 hours.
Venue:
Hyatt Regency Belgrad, PO Box 067, Milentija Popovica 5, Belgrad, Serbien 11070, Tel.: +381 11 301 1234 Fax: +381 11 311 2234
The program will be as follows:
27.1.2011: Arrival and check-in at the hotel during the day
Visit of the Semi-Final matches (17:45h and 20:15h) of the EHF Euro 2012
Dinner of the FCH representatives
28.1.2011: 10 – 11:30h Part I, 7th General Assembly
11:30 – 12 hours break
12 – 14:30 hours Part II, 7th General Assembly
14:30 hours Departure
Agenda of the 7th General Assembly:
Part I
- Welcome
- Reports IHF, EHF, Professional Handball Board (PHB), Men’s Club Marketing Board (MCMB)
- Discussion
- Motions
- Various
Part II
- European Cup in the future
All participants are kindly requested to make proposals for the agenda.
Costs: FCH will cover the costs for one representative per club for hotel (one night, Fr/Sa), one ticket for the Semifinals on Friday
and for the meeting on Saturday.
The participants have to cover their own travel costs.
Deadline for registration:
All clubs are kindly requested to register by e-mail to office@forumclubhandball.com until 23rd December 2011.
Further information will be provided during the next days. Please do not hesitate to contact the FCH office for any question. GB