Final meetings for boards ahead of EHF Congress

On 10, 11 and 12 October 2016, the EHF Office was the venue for the final meetings of the representative boards.

The Nations Board, Professional Handball Board and also the Women’s Handball Board met for their final meetings ahead of the EHF Congress in St. Wolfgang on 17 and 18 November 2016.

Nations Board

Meeting under the chairmanship of Morten Stig Christensen, the Nations Board reviewed its accomplishments over the past four years, which have been focused on strengthening the national federations and particularly their national teams.

Issues dealt with by the Board have included the expansion of the Men’s EHF EURO in 2020 to 24 teams and the creation of a new younger age category playing system.

Members also looked ahead to tasks for the next four year period once elections have taken place in St. Wolfgang.

It was noted that Morten Stig Christensen and Philippe Bana will continue in to the next period as the representatives of Denmark and France respectively according to the ranking of the nations.

The next meeting of the Nations Board will take place immediately following the Congress, where the Board's representatives to the Professional Handball Board will be selected.

Nations Board with EHF staff and representatives
 

Professional Handball Board

Juan Marin chaired the meeting of the PHB with representatives of the EHF including the President, Jean Brihault, and Secretary General, Michael Wiederer also in attendance.

Several new faces attended the meetings as guests, having been nominated to the PHB for the next four-year period. These including Xavier O’Callaghan (Forum Club Handball, President)  and Michael Sahl Hansen (European Handball Players Union, Vice President).

Looking back to the creation of the Professional Handball Board, the chairman thanked Jean Brihault for his strong support, even before he became president, and acknowledged that the initiative has enabled the representation of all stakeholders within the structure of the federation.

Topics for the PHB over the past election period have included the expansion of the VELUX EHF Champions League, increase in the number of team at the Men’s EHF EURO in 2020 and also the new YAC playing system.

Special note was made also of the creation of the education programme for handball managers.

The next meeting of the PHB will take place on 15 December in Gothenburg on the fringes of the Women’s EHF EURO 2016, together with the EHF leadership.

Women’s Handball Board

With all positions in the Women’s Handball Board to be contested in the elections in St. Wolfgang, this was the final meeting for the Board as it currently stands.

The Women’s Handball Board highlighted the successful support of 98 individuals including coaches, managers, delegates and referees on EHF courses and programmes and also the organisation of a total of 55 projects over the past four years.

Major changes that have passed through the Board have included the introduction of the Women’s EHF FINAL4 and also updates to the playing system of the Women’s EHF Champions League.

The upcoming EHF EURO in Sweden will also benefit from the support of the WHB with a repeat of their ambassador programme, first implemented at EHF EURO 2014 in Hungary and Croatia.

The project will see a number of former top players including Valerie Nicolas and Grit Jurack, promoting the championship at key matches in Women’s EHF Champions League matches over the coming months.

A further achievement for the Board was the signing of the Brighton Plus Helsinki 2014 Declaration on 10 June by the EHF President. The declaration’s overriding objective being to develop a sporting culture that enables and values the full involvement of women in every aspect of sport.

In concluding their meeting, the Board thanked Jean Brihault for his support of women's handball and looking ahead to the next four years looked ahead to the next four years and noted that it aimed to further increase the profile of women’s handball, intensify its work with the national federations and focus on a number of key projects.