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

According to a letter, sent from IHF to all IHF member federations and some selected Top clubs in Europe on 22.11.2012, IHF will ‘distribute the compensation fees only to those clubs which agree to work directly with the IHF without any mediator … ‘.

Forum Club Handball (FCH) understands this letter as an IHF reaction on the various FCH attempts, to discuss questions like good governance, calendar, compensation for release of players to the National team and insurance on an institutional level.

During the last weeks various letters of FCH to IHF and an FCH invitation for Dr. Hassan Moustafa remained without any answer.

(For receiving a copy of the IHF letter, please contact the FCH office)

On 19^th November 2012 the Professional Handball Board (PHB) discussed the latest developments in the VELUX EHF Championsleague (CL). The FORUM CLUB HANDBALL representatives demanded a joint approach of EHF, National Federations, Leagues and Clubs to work on the improvement of the product CL and the increase of the number of spectators in the arenas. TV ratings have to be improved. The EHF Executive Committee was requested to design individual solutions for the various markets.

The Professional Handball Board, composed out of two representatives from Players, Clubs, Leagues, National Federations and EHF, elected Joan Marin from BM Atletico Madrid until 2014 as chairman. The chairman of the PHB becomes automatically ordinary member of the EHF Executive Committee. The spanyard is currently also Vice-President of FCH. GB

The FCH Board and the EHFM Men’s Club Marketing Board met in Spain on 1.10.12. The elected representatives from Barcelona/ESP, Celje/SLO, Flensburg/GER, Hamburg/GER, Kiel/GER, Kielce/POL, Kolding/DEN, Madrid/ESP and Schaffhausen/SUI (Lund/SWE and Montpellier/FRA excused) discussed CL topics and the relation between Clubs and IHF.

It was unanimous opinion that the quality of the VELUX EHF Championsleague (CL) has been increased tremendously in the last years. Anyhow clubs and EHF shall increase their efforts and make further investments in the product in order to attract more spectators in the arenas and bigger audiences on TV.

IHF President Hassan Moustafa invited EHF, federation and club representatives from 11 countries (CRO, DEN, ESP, FRA, GER, HUN, NOR, SWE, POL, ROM, SRB) to a meeting in the IHF Headquater in Basel/SUI on 8.10.12. Representatives from important handball countries like ie Russia, Slovenia, Switzerland and others were not invited. The club representatives present prepared themselves for the meeting. One more time all clubs underlined their demand to base the relation between Clubs and IHF on a contractual basis.

Beside the agenda the Montpellier betting/match fixing case was in the center of discussion. Unanimously all clubs condemned the behaviour of the involved persons. All top clubs have clauses in their player contracts which prohibit betting of players and their relatives. The public interest in the case causes significant damage to the handball sports. All top clubs in Europe and their officials are requested to inform their players about the consequences of betting and match fixing for Handball in general.

FCH Managing Director G. Butzeck was invited as observer to the 9^th ordinary General Assembly of European Club Association (ECA), taking place in Geneva on 10.+11.9.12. The content of the new ‘Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)’ between UEFA and ECA was presented to the representatives of 135 football clubs. ECA Chairman K.H. Rummenigge (FC Bayern Munich, Germany) expressed himself satisfied with the document. At the same time he is ‘optimistic’ that in the near future a ‘similar agreement’ will be reached with FIFA.

The International Handball Federation (IHF) refused to start negotiations with FCH on a MoU before the next IHF Congress (which will take place in Qatar in October 2013). GB

During the last weekend the newly elected leadership of EHF and FCH met in Achenkirch/Austria to speak about the future of European Handball. The content of the meeting will be reported to the next FCH General Assembly, taking place in Barcelona on 25^th/26^th January 2013. GB

The 8th General Assembly took place in Cologne/Germany on the fringes of the VELUX EHF Championsleague Final4.

In the first part FCH Board members reported to 40 member clubs about the activities in the various EHF/M bodies.

Volker Zerbe summarized the financial situation.

The board and the General Manager were granted discharge.

In the second part the elections took part.

The following persons were elected as

–        Board Members:

Nation 1 (GER): Dierk Schmaeschke, Flensburg

Nation 2 (ESP): Joan Marin, Madrid

Nations 3-6 (FRA, RUS, HUN, SLO): Tomaz Jersic, Celje

Nations 7-12 (DEN, SUI, ROU, CRO, POR, MAK): Soren Colding, Copenhagen/DEN

Nations 13-49 (SWE, BIH, SRB, POL, NOR, AUT …): Bertus Servaas, Kielce/POL

–        President

Tomaz Jersic, Celje, SLO

–        Vice-President

Joan Marin, Madrid, ESP

Dierk Schmäschke, Flensburg, GER

–        Vice-President Finances

Dierk Schmäschke, Flensburg, GER

–        Deputy Board Member

Nation 1 (GER): Sabine Holdorf-Schust, Kiel

Nation 2 (ESP): Xavi O’Callaghan, Barcelona

Nations 3-6 (FRA, RUS, HUN, SLO): Robert Molines, Montpellier

Nations 7-12 (DEN, SUI, ROU, CRO, POR, MAK): Peter Leutwyler, Kadetten/SUI

Nations 13-49 (SWE, BIH, SRB, POL, NOR, AUT …): Karl Löfmark,  Lund/SWE

–        FCH representative ‘Professional Handball Board’ (PHB)

Joan Marin, Madrid, ESP

Gerd Butzeck, FCH General Manager

–        FCH representative ‘Men’s Club Marketing Board’ (MCMB)

Nation 1 (GER): Christoph Wendt, Hamburg

Nation 2 (ESP): Xavi O’Callaghan, Barcelona

Nations 3-6 (FRA, RUS, HUN, SLO): Tomaz Jersic, Celje, SLO

Nations 7-12 (DEN, SUI, ROU, CRO, POR, MAK): Jens Boesen, Kolding, DEN

Nations 13-49 (SWE, BIH, SRB, POL, NOR, AUT …): Radek Wasiak, Kielce, POL

–        Comptroller

Gerd Hofele, Göppingen, GER

In the third part the 8^th General Assembly after discussion unanimously advised the FCH Board to take all necessary measures to resolve existing issues with IHF.

The 9^th General Assembly of FCH will take place on occasion of the Semifinals of the next World Championship in Barcelona/Spain on 26^th/27^th January 2013. GB

39 Clubs from 19 countries registered for the 8th General Assembly of FORUM CLUB HANDBALL, taking place in Cologne on 27th May 2012 on occasion of the EHF VELUX CHAMPIONSLEAGUE FINAL4 event. In the first part of the meeting the club representatives will listen to the reports. In the second part the assembly will elect a new board and representatives for the various bodies in EHF and EHFM. After a break the assembly will discuss the relation between clubs, EHF and IHF. The relation between clubs and EHF is based on a Memorandum of Understanding, an according agreement with IHF is missing. In March 2012 IHF refused one more time to base the relation on a contractual basis. GB

Information of the FCH Election Supervisor: According to the statutes every club may nominate a FCH board member. The candidate board member had to be nominated until 13.5.2012.

According to the EHF European Cup Club Ranking 12/13 the nation, ranked first, the nation ranked second, the nations ranked 3-6, the nations ranked 7-12 and the nations ranked 13-49 will receive one seat in the board each (plus deputy).

In due time FCH Member Clubs nominated the following candidates as FCH Board Members:

Nation 1 (GER): Dierk Schmaeschke, Flensburg (member) + Sabine Holdorf-Schust, Kiel (deputy)

Nation 2 (ESP): Joan Marin, Madrid (member) + Xavi O’Callaghan, Barcelona (deputy)

Nations 3-6 (FRA, RUS, HUN, SLO): Tomaz Jersic, Celje (member) + Robert Molines, Montpellier (deputy)

Nations 7-12 (DEN, SUI, ROU, CRO, POR, MAK): Soren Colding, Copenhagen/DEN (member), Peter Leutwyler, Kadetten/SUI (deputy)

Nations 13-49 (SWE, BIH, SRB, POL, NOR, AUT …): Karl Löfmark,  Lund/SWE + Bertus Servas, Kielce/POL + Magnus Clarke, Dublin/IRL

The FCH General Assembly will elect the board members. The election will take place on 27^th May 2012 during the 8^th ordinary FCH General Assembly.

Gerd Butzeck/Election Supervisor