The International Handball Federation (IHF) Arbitration Commission http://www.ihf.info/front_content.php?idcat=112 has ruled that IHF Council decisions to change World Championship and Olympic Qualification formats and create a World League for Clubs to be null and void. This finding is based on the fact that these changes were not put before an IHF Congress, which is the highest decision-making body of the IHF and the body authorised to take decisions in matters relating to changes and amendments to the Statutes.
This finding is a clear victory for the European Handball Federation (EHF), which had initiated legal action and threatened to call for an IHF Extraordinary Congress to restructure and hold new elections for the IHF leadership. http://teamhandballnews.com/news.php?item.198 At the heart of this power struggle was the EHF’s concerns that these new competitions would be outside of EHF jurisdiction and financial control and would lead to an excessive number of games for top players.
Next week’s IHF Congress will still likely address a number of issues to include the EHF’s proposal to hold the World Championships once every four years instead of the current two year cycle.
EHF Official Statement: http://www.eurohandball.com/inc/print.asp?oid=10253
I hope they do change the W.C. to every 4 years. Now with the W.C. every 2 years, the EHF Championship also every 2 years, and the Olympics every 4 years the best teams/players get overused. Especially considering they also play for club teams every year, that play in leagues, Cup cpmpetitions, and in Europe, the Champions League!
Also as the rest of the world starts playing more handball, they will need the extra time to qualify the area representitives for the W.C. Just like the soccer football World Cup.
Especially because teams dont care about the W.C right after the Olympics, Tunisia 2005 is a perfect example, most teams attended with young and unexperienced players planning the Olympic series. However the last W.C last january was totally different, because it qualified for the Olympics and Preolympic tournaments. Basketball system is the best: Olympics, World Championship every 4 years and European Championship every 2 years.
For a very long time, the Olympics were the #1 trophy/title/medal countries were going for. Having the WC every two years sounds to me, the casual observer, like a justified knee jerk reaction. The IHF tried to take advantage of the long 4 year wait between world tournaments and, in the process, oversaturated and overextended those involved in the sport. Soccer makes up for it because they time teir WC and Euros evey two years. Thus, the fan has something to look forward to every two years.
Techincally, handball should actually fare better in terms of competitions and revenues because they have 3 significant tournaments, unlike soccer. The Olympics, Euros and WC… All very significant.