The FCH Board confirmed the membership of Detroit HC during its ordinary Boardmeeting in October 2022. Accordingly Detroit HC became the second ‘non-European’ member club of FCH! Heartily welcome, Joe Williams!
FCH intends to add further clubs from Africa, North- and South America, Asia and Australia to the organization in the future. The membership is free of charge.
IHF and FCH will sign the prolongation of the Partnership Agreement in Sweden on occasion of the final weekend of the IHF World Championship. An according agreement was reached between the Presidents of IHF, Dr. Hassan Moustafa, men’s FCH Xavier O’Callaghan and women’s FCH Zsolt Ákos Jeney. The signing will be exectuted during the 27th General Assembly of Forum Club Handball on 28th January 2023. The invitations to the 27th GA will be delivered to the FCH member clubs end of October 2022.
? Mr. Schmäschke, first of all congratulations for your new job as President of SG Flensburg. On your first day in office the new ‚IHF Regulations on Transfers’ come into effect. Which consequences will this have on the business of the clubs?
Thanks for the flowers. As you mention it I would like to convey my best wishes to my successor, Holger Glandorf.
It is easy to describe the consequences for the clubs: If an agent represents the interests of a player, the player has to pay the agent! That’s it!
? Sounds logical. What is the big change?
The players will face a change. In the past as a rule the players did not reimburse their agents. According to the new IHF regulations this will be differently in the future: Agent and player will have to agree which amount is paid from the player to the agent. This is freely negotiable and it has to be negotiated. It is important whether the commission of a 3-years-contract is the same in the 2nd and in the 3rd year as it is in the 1st year. Is the commission of the agent based on the net or on the gross salary of the player? What about commission on bonuses? What about the duration of the agreement? Is the agreement limited to a certain league, ie ASOBA or 1st Denish League? What exactly are the services of the agent? What happens, if the agent does not provide a reasonable offer for the player?
In the future the player should consult a lawyer before signing a contract with an agent. In the past these agreements were concluded more or less ‘pro forma’ …
? This means that the player himself has to negotiate with his agent?
Yes, true. Roughly speaking, in the past, the club used to pay 90% to the player and 10% to the agent. In the future the player will receive 100%, but he will have to pay for the services of his agent. So at the end of the season he might end up with more – or less net revenues.
? The new system will cause more tax payments!?
Also true. But there will be no changes for the clubs. Before the new regulations came into effect, we used to have 100% of money for player and agent. We will have exactly the same 100% also in the future. If the government increases the taxes, or if an insurance company increase a fee, we as a club do not have automatically 105% budget for the player – just because the insurance increased the fee.
Nothing is changing for the clubs. We used to have 100% for the player and we will have 100% for the player in the future. I a clubs spends all over sudden 105% on a player, the club has a different problem.
? Understood. Remains the question concerning the Players‘ Agent.
The Agents do not like the new regulation. They will be in direct competition in the future which was not the case in the past. In the past usually the agents did not charge their players. In the future there will be different percentages of commission. The players will start to compare the services of the agents.
The agents founded an organization in order to avoid the new regulation. Our Managing Director of Forum Club Handball, Gerd Butzeck, met twice with the representatives of that organization for longer consultations and explained the situation.
There will be no big changes for the quality agents. Nobody denies the necessity of agents. They will continue earning good money in the future. They simply invoice the player – as of now.
At the moment some agents try to create confusion amongst the clubs. They claim that the one or the other club will continue to pay the agents. I saw according messages which were send to us confidentially. The big clubs agreed to act according to the new regulations and I am sure that they will do so.
It will take a while, until everybody understood the new system. FC Barcelona started to apply this system already 4 years ago in Football, Basketball and Handball. More or less they were forced to change it from the tax authorities. The authorities stopped acknowledging the invoices of agents as expenses of FC Barcelona, as the agents are providing services to the players – and not to the club.
? How does the system work in other sports?
Generally speaking, in Football it is more or less the same as it used to be in Handball. The excesses are well known to every sports fan. There are endeavors from German top clubs, to copy our model. In Football the system is more complex. Transfer compensations play a bigger role and cause more discussions.
In Basketball FIBA applies the same system as we do now already as of 1.1.22, in the Swiss Hockey League even as of 1.7.21. So actually the whole story is not new and not a surprise.
In America all players always paid their agents. No question about that! The Americans are shaking their heads when they get to know about our European system!
? And what to expect now for the future?
We have no choice. The regulation is approved and will come into force on 1.7.22. The vast majority of the clubs will apply the regulation, some will try to trick around. But they make themselves dependend/blackmailable on players and agents. We as SG Flensburg will not do that, as we respect the regulations and we believe them to be reasonable.
At the moment it does not concern anybody, as almost all players already signed a contract for next season. Only the new contracts are concerned which will be signed as of now …
? Thank you for the conversation.
?Herr Schmäschke, zunächst einmal Gratulation, ab heute sind Sie Präsident der SG! An Ihrem ersten Amtstag treten auch die neuen ‚IHF Regulations for Transfers‘ in Kraft. Welche Änderungen ergeben sich daraus für die Clubs?
Danke für die Blumen. Ich wünsche meinem Nachfolger Holger Glandorf alles Gute.
Die Änderungen für die Clubs sind relativ einfach zu beschreiben: Wenn ein Spielervermittler die Interessen eines Spielers vertritt, dann muss der Spieler seinen Agenten bezahlen.
?Das klingt zunächst einmal logisch. Wo ist die grosse Änderung?
Die grösste Änderung ergibt sich für die Spieler. In der Vergangenheit gab es in der Regel keine Zahlungen vom Spieler an seinen Agenten. Die Klubs haben den Vermittler bezahlt. Künftig wird das laut IHF Regulations anders sein: Der Spieler und sein Agent müssen sich darauf einigen, was der Spieler seinem Agenten bezahlt. Das ist frei verhandelbar und muss auch verhandelt werden. Es wird wichtig, ob die Provision zB im 2. und 3. Jahr eines 3-Jahres-Vertrags die gleiche ist, wie im 1. Jahr. Wird die Provision vom Brutto- oder vom Nettogehalt gezahlt, wie sieht es mit Prämien aus? Wie lange läuft die Vereinbarung? Ist sie auf eine gewisse Liga, zB die ASOBAL oder die Dänische 1. Liga beschränkt? Was genau leistet der Agent für den Spieler? Was passiert, wenn der Agent dem Spieler kein passendes Angebot unterbreitet?
Die Spieler sollten künftig für den Abschluss eines Vertrages mit einem Agenten einen Anwalt hinzuziehen. In der Vergangenheit war diese Vereinbarung mehr oder weniger ‚pro forma‘ …
?Also müssen die Spieler jetzt selber mit ihrem Agenten verhandeln?
Ja, genauso ist es. In der Vergangenheit haben die Klubs, grob gesprochen, dem Spieler 90% und dem Agenten 10% gezahlt. In Zukunft bekommt der Spieler 100%, muss davon aber seinen Agenten bezahlen. Er kann also mit mehr – aber auch mit weniger – Netto am Ende des Jahres dastehen.
?Bei dem neuen System fallen mehr Steuern an!?
Auch das ist richtig. Aber für die Vereine ändert sich nichts. Sie hatten vor der neuen Regelung 100% Geld für einen Spieler incl. Vermittler zur Verfügung und werden dies künftig auch haben. Wenn der Staat die Steuern, oder eine Versicherung die Prämie erhöht, hat der Verein ja auch nicht plötzlich 105% zur Verfügung – nur weil die Versicherung teurer geworden ist. Für die Clubs ändert sich also nichts. Ein Club hatte vorher 100% Geld für einen Spieler und wird das auch künftig haben. Wenn – ob der neuen Regelung – plötzlich jemand 105% für einen Spieler ausgibt, dann hat der ein anderes Problem.
?Verstanden. Bleibt noch die Frage nach den Spielervermittlern.
Den Spielervermittlern gefällt die neue Regelung nicht. Sie werden künftig in einem direkten Konkurrenzverhältnis stehen, was bisher so nicht der Fall war. In der Vergangenheit haben alle Agenten ihrem Spieler in der Regel nichts berechnet. Künftig wird es unterschiedliche Prozentsätze geben. Die Spieler werden die Leistungen der Agenten vergleichen.
Die Spielervermittler haben eine Vereinigung gegründet, um die neue Regelung abzuwenden. Unser Geschäftsführer vom Forum Club Handball, Gerd Butzeck, hat sich mit zweimal mit Vertretern des Vorstandes zu jeweils einem längeren Gespräch getroffen und die Situation erläutert.
Für die guten Spielervermittler wird sich nicht viel ändern. Die Notwendigkeit von Spielervermittlern ist ja unbestritten. Sie werden weiter gutes Geld verdienen. Die Rechnung geht halt ab jetzt an den Spieler.
Einige Spielervermittler versuchen gerade, Unruhe bei den Clubs zu stiften. Sie behaupten, das dieser oder jener Club weiter den Spielervermittler bezahlt. Ich habe schon entsprechende SMS gesehen, die uns vertraulich zugesendet wurden. Die grossen Clubs haben sich bereits abgesprochen werden sich sicher an die Regelung halten, die kleineren werden folgen. Da bin ich mir sicher.
Es wird eine Weile dauern, bis das System von allen verstanden ist. Der FC Barcelona verfährt in allen Sportarten, also im Fussball, Basketball und im Handball, schon seit 4 Jahren so. Mehr oder weniger gezwungener Maßen, da die Steuerbehörden nicht mehr mitgespielt haben. Sie haben die Rechnung der Spielervermittler nicht mehr als abzugsfähig anerkannt, da der Vermittler die Leistung in der Regel für den Spieler erbringt – und nicht für den Club.
? Wie sieht das System eigentlich in anderen Sportarten aus?
Im Fussball läuft das mehr oder weniger so, wie bislang im Handball. Die Auswüchse sind jedem Sportfan bekannt. Es gibt Bestrebungen, ua auch von deutschen Topclubs, unser Modell zu übernehmen. Im Fussball ist das System halt komplexer, Transfersummen spielen eine grosse Rolle und sorgen für Diskussionen.
Im Basketball wird seit dem 1.1.22 auch das Bestellerprinzip angewendet, in der Schweizer Eishockeyliga schon seit dem 1.7.21. So neu und verwunderlich ist das alles also nicht.
Im Amerikanischen Sport haben die Spieler schon immer den ‚Players‘ Agent‘ bezahlt. Die Amis schütteln über unser bisheriges System nur den Kopf.
?Und wie geht es jetzt weiter?
Wir können uns das ja nicht aussuchen. Die Regelung ist vom Weltverband IHF beschlossen und tritt am 1.7.22 in Kraft. Die grosse Mehrheit der Klubs wird die Regelung anwenden, einige werden versuchen zu tricksen. Aber die machen sich natürlich von Spieler und Spielervermittler abhängig/erpressbar. Wir als SG werden das nicht tun, weil wir die Regularien respektieren und für richtig halten.
Und momentan betrifft es ja erstmal niemanden wirklich, da fast alle schon einen Vertrag für die nächste Saison haben. Es geht um die neuen Verträge, die ab jetzt geschlossen werden ….
? Danke für das Gespräch.
The 16th General Assembly of Forum Club Handball (women’s clubs) and the 26th General Assembly of FCH (men’s clubs) will take place in June on the fringes of the EHF Champions League Final4 events in Budapest/women’s clubs on 5.6.22 and in Cologne/men’s clubs on 19.6.22.
FCH invited the President of the International Handball Federation (IHF), Dr. Hassan Moustafa. FCH and IHF intend to sign the prolongation of their Partnership agreement during these meetings.
The host of both Final4 events, Michael Wiederer, President of the European Handball Federation, will address the participants and inform on the latest developments in European Handball.
In Cologne the Japanese Handball association will be represented by Yoshihide Watanabe, acting President of Asian Handball Federation and Honorable Chairman of Japan Handball Association, Roland Nemes., Councilor, International Relations, Japan Handball Association and Yoshiki Hirabayashi, Secretary General of the Japan Handball Association.
FCH and the JHA intend to sign a Memorandum of Understanding, promoting the cooperation between European and Japanese top clubs.
FCH started to discuss the relationship between Player agents and Clubs in 2020. In December 2020 the 23rd FCH General Assembly decided: ‘FCH Member clubs do not pay for the services of an agent in international transfers if the agent already has been mandated by the player.’
This decision of European top clubs was discussed in the various bodies of EHF and EHFM, such as Men’s Club Board, Advisory Board, Professional Handball Board and EHF Executive Committee.
As all EHF/M bodies supported the initiative of FCH, it was decided to implement the idea into the IHF Regulations for Transfers. Discussions on various levels with IHF took place. A new wording of the regulations was worked out and finally confirmed by the IHF Council.
The key sentence of the new regulation: ‘A third party (= Player agent) shall not intervene for more than one party in a transfer and must be remunerated only by the party in question.’
As of 1st July 2022 a player, who has authorized a Player agent to represent his interests, shall remunerate his Player agent.
Clubs shall no longer reimburse the Player’s agent, if the agent represents the interests of the player.
The 15th Ordinary General Assembly of Women Forum Club Handball took place in Barcelona on 18th December 2021. The participants gathered already on 17th in order to attend the Semifinals of the IHF World Championship in Granollers.
On Saturday morning representatives from 29 clubs out of 13 different nations listened to the reports of the various EHF/M bodies, governing European Club Handball.
As a surprise the President of the International Handball Federation (IHF) Dr. Hassan Moustafa attended the meeting after the break and officially addressed the participants. He highlighted the good cooperation between FCH and IHF and envisaged negotiations on the prolongation of the existing Partnership-Agreement in the near future. On request he confirmed that IHF is working on a new regulation for Player Agents, as proposed by the clubs.
In the second part the assembly elected Zsolt Ákos Jeney/Ferencvaros Budapest as President, Thomas Hylle/Team Esbjerg and Deja Ivanovic/Ljubljana as Vice-Presidents.
Jeney thanked the participants for their trust and defined his targets for the upcoming term.
The 16th General Assembly of Women FCH will take place on the fringes of the EHF DELO Final 4 event in Budapest on 4th/5th June 2022.
The 15th General Assembly of Women Forum Club Handball, taking place on the fringes of the IHF World Championship in Spain 2021, will see elections of a new President and two Vice-Presidents.
Candidates for the positions are Zsolt Ákos Jeney (Ferencvaros Budapest) as President and Deja Ivanovic (Krim Mercator Ljubljana) and Thomas Hylle (Team Esbjerg) as Vice-Presidents.
The General Assembly will take place at Hotel Miramar in Barcelona on 18th December 2021. FCH member clubs may register via: registration@forumclubhandball.com. GB
During the first meeting of the newly elected EHF Professional Handball Board, FCH President Xavier O’Callaghan was elected as chairman. This EHF body serves as platform for the exchange and coordination of the various stakeholders in Professional Handball, such as clubs, players, leagues , National federations and European Handball Federation. Being chair of the PHB, O’Callaghan becomes automatically member of the EHF Executive Committee.
The ordinary October Board meeting of Men’s and Women’s Forum took place in Spain on 4th and 5th Oct 2021. Only one of the 25 Board members was not able to attend the meeting. The newly elected Presidents Xavier O’Callaghan (men) and Tamas Szabo (women) welcomed EHF President M. Wiederer as guest. He was accompanied by EHFM Managing Director David Szlezak and Nina Kernmayer.
For the first time ever a Non-European Board member participated in the meeting: Shkumbin ‘Bini’ Mustafa, the President of New York City Handball Club. Also for the first time ever two English representatives were present: Theo Bougouin/London GD (men) and Diaraye Diallo/Olympia London (women).
Further new office holders in the Men’s Forum: Jennifer Kettemann/Rhein-Neckar-Lion (EHFM Finance inspection), Thierry Omeyer/PSG (Board member), Julien Deljarry /Montpellier (Board member), Jan Larsen/Aalborg (Board member), Vedran Supukovic/Zagreb (Board member) and Igor Levshin/Moscow (Deputy Men’s Club Board).
Further new office holders in the Women’s Forum: Alexander Savinow/Moscow (Board member), Alexandru Nitisor/Valcea (Board member), Emil Berggren/Savehof (Board member and WCB member), Jens Genge/Blomberg-Herrentrup (FCH Comptroller) and Radmila Petrovic/Buducnost (WHB member).
The Men’s and the Women’s Forum discussed the situation in the various European Cups. Whilst the media situation is improving, the marketing situation is not satisfying.
Men’s and Women’s Forum prolonged their cooperation until 30th June 2026. The contract of FCH Managing Director Gerd Butzeck was extended till the same date. Nina Kernmayer was appointed to represent the interests of both organizations in the daily business of EHF Marketing GmbH
The Board was entitled to negotiate a prolongation of the ‘Partnership Agreement’ with the International Handball Federation until 2026.
At the end of the Women’s Forum meeting President Tamas Szabo resigned from his position due to administrative mistakes during the elections.