Group Club Handball (GCH), an independent grouping of the top major Handball Clubs in Europe has issued a press release detailing multiple “irregularities within the International Handball Federation (IHF), having been provoked by it’s President Hassan Moustafa.” The GCH calls on President Moustafa to provide “detailed explanations and invites all governing bodies in handball to put their efforts in restoring order and respect for the rules and fair spirit of the game.
The allegations in the press release are a mixture of old and new allegations. Notably is a new allegation that Moustafa illegally held nearly $700,000 of funds intended for the Egyptian Federation in support of the 1999 World Championships in a German bank account for nearly 4 years.
The GCH also voiced strong support for Peter Muehlematter the IHF Secretary-General, who has spoken out against Moustafa. At the recent IHF Council meeting Muehlematter was asked to resign unanimously by the Council. The GCH “unanimously came to the conclusion that IHF President Hassan Moustafa (and not Peter Muhlematter), by his irresponsible conduct, is causing serious damage to international Handball and herewith puts in danger the status of Handball as an Olympic sport.”
Spiegel Online: Secretary General Asked to Resign (German) (February 1, 2009) (German): http://www.spiegel.de/sport/sonst/0,1518,604854,00.html
Spiegel Online: IHF Grant allegations (January 30, 2009) (German): http://www.spiegel.de/sport/sonst/0,1518,604573,00.html
[b]Complete text of GCH Press Release:[/b]
[b]Group Club Handball EEIG* asks for detailed explanations of Hassan Moustafa, President of the International Handball Federation (IHF). [/b]
On occasion of it's 10th ordinary meeting, held on 2nd February 2009 in Zagreb, Group Club Handball EEIG* (GCH) dealt with a number of irregularities within the International Handball Federation (IHF),
having been provoked by it’s President Hassan Moustafa.
GCH discussed in detail the following issues which have brought this sport in serious disrepute:
[u]Travel expenses compensation scandal[/u]
The President of the IHF, Hassan Moustafa, received more than 500.000 CHF from International Handball Federation (IHF) for compensation of travel expenses without forwarding any receipts.
[u]Egyptian Doping affair during the Pre-Olympic Tournament in Athens[/u]
The Egyptian team played with half of their players only whilst the other half of the squad was sitting on the tribune; the Egyptian Federation and their President Hassan Moustafa complained about the fact that they had not been informed about the scheduled Doping controls prior to the tournament.
[u]Payments around the Egyptian World Championship 1999[/u]
According to a report of the German Spiegel-online magazine, dated 31.1.09, 695.420,98 USD were not received by the Egyptian Federation until 1.9.2003, but deposited on an account at Credit Mutual bank in Strasbourg. The authority to sign for this account was with Hassan Moustafa.
[u]Wada Code/Holdhaus resignation affair[/u]
Due to various statements of Prof. Hans Holdhaus, former Chairman of the Anti-Doping-Unit of the International Handball Federation (IHF), Hassan Moustafa cut the anti doping budget of the medical commission and requested to be informed about doping controls upfront. The independent anti-doping unit was dissolved. This endangers the status of handball as Olympic sport.
[u]Toyota Olympic Qualification affair[/u]
For the first time in history an Olympic qualification tournament had to be re-played, as the Jordanian Referees had obviously been cheating (CAS, case 2008 O 1483). The German referees Lemme/Ulrich initially nominated by the International Handball Federation (IHF) were withdrawn by IHF President Hassan Moustafa.
Despite these facts the Council of the International Handball Federation (IHF) decided unanimously to invite Peter Muhlematter to resign as General Secretary during the IHF council meeting in Zagreb, on 31st January 2009.
After careful examination of the above issues, GCH unanimously came to the conclusion that IHF President Hassan Moustafa (and not Peter Muhlematter), by his irresponsible conduct, is causing serious damage to international Handball and herewith puts in danger the status of Handball as an Olympic sport.
As a result, Group Club Handball asks Hassan Moustafa as President of the International Handball Federation (IHF) for detailed explanations and invites all governing bodies in handball to put their efforts in restoring order and respect for the rules and fair spirit of the game.
GB Dusseldorf, 23.2.09
* ‘Group Club Handball – Circle of the Best’ is an European Economic Interest Group, representing the interests of the following clubs:
FC Barcelona (ESP), Celje Pivovarna Lasko (SLO), Chehovskie Medvedi (RUS), BM Ciudad Real (ESP), SG Flensburg-Handewitt (ESP), HSV Hamburg (GER), THW Kiel (GER), KIF Kolding Elite A/S (DEN), TBV Lemgo (GER), Reale Ademar Leon (ESP), SC Magdeburg (GER), Montpellier HB (FRA), Portland San Antonio (ESP), Pevafersa Valladolid (ESP), MKB Veszprém KC (HUN), HC Croatia Osiguranje-Zagreb (CRO).