Janis Grinbergas passes away

One of the longest-serving members of the international handball community, Janis Grinbergas, has passed away in his home country of Lithuania.

A highly respected and knowledgeable sports professional, Janis worked as an official of the International Handball Federation at no fewer than eight summer Olympic Games. He was competition manager at the Olympic Games in Moscow in 1980.

During his career, Janis was coach to both the men’s and women’s USSR teams, as well as a national and international handball referee.

In 2000 he was awarded the 5th Class of the Order of the Knight's Cross in his home country.

When Lithuania became independent in 1989 he became the first Secretary General of the newly founded National Olympic Committee. He also served for many years as an EHF delegate and was a member of the IHF Playing Rules and Referees Commission from 1972 to 2000.

Jean Brihault, EHF President, commented: “Janis did not only belong to Lithuanian handball, but to European and world handball. He belonged to the generation of those who founded handball and he was active in every sector and function in which he could serve our sport.

“I remember with emotion his always convincing statements in our congresses, his omnipresence in competitions so long as he could and his big heart, which his stern face never managed to hide. We shall miss him badly and we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and to the Lithuanian Handball Federation."

Michael Wiederer, EHF Secretary General, said: "Janis and I worked and co-operated together on a technical level and a personal level for many years. He played an important part in working groups during the first years of the EHF and was present at the foundation congress of the EHF back in 1991 in Berlin. He will be very much missed by all those that had the pleasure of working with him in European and international handball during his lifetime."