One of the critical challenges for sport is to evolve and evolve further to keep the audience and sports-persons engaged to it. In a recent interaction with the IHF officials, SportsCrunch tried to get some answers as to various aspects of functioning of the International Handball Federation visavis the Handball Movement. Here is an excerpts:
Handball movement & membership program…
The IHF aims to develop handball all over the world and globalise our sport. Of course, that means we would like to have all nations included and we are making good progress. Just recently we have added three new federations to the IHF so that we can currently count 207 IHF Member Nations.
Handball is practiced in every continent, and we pay special attention to development programmes around the world in order to continue to grow our sport. Initiatives such as the Emerging Nation’s Championship, IHF Trophy events and coaching courses where IHF experts travel to impart their knowledge are just some of the methods employed to manage this. The introduction of the IHF Education Centre has also assisted in providing an extensive bank of knowledge, ideas and information for handball coaches, referees and players, as well as school teachers, around the world.
Recent challenges, upcoming goals and Olympic Agenda 2020…
The most significant challenge for the IHF is how to continue to increase the attractiveness of handball for a global audience – this has been a key focus behind all IHF movements in recent years. For indoor handball in particular, this has meant looking at aspects of the game itself as well as other factors, such as promotion and image in the media, reaching more fans on diverse platforms including social media and on TV, and development of future talent – players, coaches, referees and other officials – for the sport. By increasing the attractiveness of handball, we hope to encourage new players, new fans and new countries to embrace our game.
Many points on the Olympic Agenda 2020 concern only the IOC however, the IHF are always working to improve in all aspects of governance and ethics in handball. Indeed, we will never abandon this goal as there are always ways to improve that can benefit the sport.
The final point on the Olympic Agenda 2020 relates to keeping athletes clean, which was a major subject of interest for the IHF prior to the 2016 Olympic Games when the IOC determined international governing bodies should make the final decision as to whether Russian athletes were allowed to participate. All members of Russia’s women’s team (the men’s team did not qualify) were subject to a round of sudden, unannounced testing conducted by the IHF anti-doping committee at a WADA-approved facility in Basel. They were found to be clean and went on to win their nation’s first ever gold medal in a women’s team sport – a historic result we are proud to say was untainted by controversy due to the measures implemented by the IHF.
Our anti-doping committee are represented at every single IHF event, with athletes subject to random testing, in order to keep our sport clean. We will continue to incorporate the latest testing technology and methods for ensuring integrity and equality among athletes in handball competitions.
Governance model, rule changes & development policies…
One of our main focuses in recent years has been on increasing the attractiveness of handball.
Prior to the 2016 Olympic Games, the IHF Rules of the Game were updated with several amendments designed to make the game faster and thereby more attractive for fans. Some of these refinements also make aspects of the game that were previously a little unclear more straightforward for players, coaches, referees and officials, discourage overly-emotional displays from players on the court, and reduce the number of stoppages in each match. This helps to create a more attractive game for spectators and for young, future handball players.
In terms of development policies, the IHF continually strives to assist nations and continents where handball is not practiced with as much regularity as others. Previously mentioned programmes such as the IHF Trophy and coaching courses all assist in this regard, but we are always looking for new ways to provide the best opportunities for development. For this reason, qualification pathways – recent examples include those for the continent of Oceania and the awarding of a wild card entry to IHF World Championships – are continually re-evaluated.
Handball@School…
Handball@School has become one of the most popular IHF projects over the past couple of years with courses taking place regularly in all five continents. Handball is played at schools around the world, even in countries where national teams have not yet reached the highest level, making the Handball@School one of our most important tools for development. In countries where handball is already popular, Handball@School provides a high-standard framework for teachers to follow, while in emerging handball nations, there is an additional benefit – introducing future players to the sport at a young age to hopefully inspire them to take up handball as their game of choice in the future.
Financial Aid program & monitoring…
We do not give funds but provide material for the federations to use. We also send IHF experts to conduct coaching and refereeing courses, sharing knowledge with multiple members of handball communities in those countries who can then pass on this information.
Infrastructure, facilities & support system across the globe…
The IHF Member Nations are classified into three categories – emerging nations, developed nations and top nations. We have implemented different kinds of projects specific to the development level of each. In addition, we would like the nations from different categories to help and support each other to bridge gaps. For example, it is intended that European coaches will be sent to China to coach teams there, while Chinese referees have the chance to travel to Europe and improve their skills.
Pool of technical officials, member association managers, coaches, support staff and development programs related to these…
The IHF regularly organises courses to educate different members within national federations.
In 2015, a seminar for Secretaries General was held. In 2017, on the fringe of the 25th IHF Men’s World Championship in France, IHF lecturers and delegates met for a seminar, coaches from all over the world gathered to take part in the Coaches’ Symposium, and the 2nd International Congress, Medicine of Handball was held.
Today, the focus is on delivering educational material and courses online so that everyone around the globe has the chance to train themselves. For that reason, we launched the IHF Education Centre, an online platform where players, coaches, delegates etc. can find, for example, articles and videos specific to their needs. Soon, online seminars, in which everybody can take part, will be offered too.
IHF Development programs on Handball promotion…
The IHF has launched several programmes to achieve our main goal: to develop and promote handball worldwide. Aside from the Four-Year Plan, a project which supports the emerging handball federations through the provision of, amongst others, courses and equipment, the IHF has a special Development Aid project.
Furthermore, the IHF sends experienced coaches to developing countries in the framework of the Traveller Coach project. The New Market Projects in Great Britain and China were launched to promote handball in these regions. In China and the USA, IHF Academies were formed in cooperation with sports universities. The Handball@School project is very popular, as are the IHF Trophy and IHF Beach Handball Trophy tournaments, which take place in all continents to provide the teams from emerging federations with the chance to compete on an international level.
Key focus areas for IHF in the next decade or so…
The IHF wants to develop handball in the new markets like, for example, China, the USA, Great Britain and India. As an example of methods for athlete development, the IHF Athletes’ Commission was formed based on a vote by players in attendance at the 2016 Olympic Games, which will assist in this matter as these elected athletes represent their peers.
Gender equality and anti-doping measures at IHF…
Of course, we support gender equality and any position within the IHF itself is open for both genders. Expertise and efficiency are two factors that are taken into the highest consideration.
For example, the IHF Athletes’ Commission is chaired by a former player in Norway’s women’s team and the Women’s Handball Working Group is comprised exclusively of women who maintain an active role in handball today.
The role of the Women’s Handball Working Group is to help bridge the gap in terms of spectator popularity between men’s and women’s handball. With their help, we tailor our approach to the organisation of events as necessary to best promote women’s handball.
In terms of anti-doping measures, the IHF works in close cooperation with the World Anti- Doping Agency (WADA). We have signed the new WADA Code, and naturally comply and support the policies therein.
Development programs in Asia/India…
The projects mentioned above are established in all continents. With special regard to Asia, the IHF has established IHF Academies and a New Markets Project in China.
India specifically has hosted several IHF Trophy tournaments and will host this year’s IHF Trophy Intercontinental Phase. Furthermore, the IHF will send a coach to India in September as part of the Traveller Coach Project.