We reported earlier in the year that actions by the current IHF regime had brought the very experienced and highly regarded Ekke Hoffmann to resign from the important position as Head of Sports. http://teamhandballnews.com/news.php?item.920 This caused bewilderment around the handball world, as Ekke Hoffmann is widely known as a strong manager and instructor, apart from his top-level career in coaching. He combines the coaching side with a great affinity also for the refereeing, something that is a great combination for any federation that needs to bring up its top referees to a level where they also appreciate the finer points of the tactics and techniques on the part of teams and players.

Therefore, it does not exactly come as a surprise, when it is now reported that the EHF has begun to use Ekke Hoffmann for important functions as an instructor in the EHF’s program for the development of talented referees. It is great to see that someone is sensible enough to ensure that the qualities of such a highly competent person are not lost for the world of handball. Clearly this collaboration will be beneficial for the new generation of talented referees in Europe. They are to be congratulated and Ekke Hoffmann is wished the best of luck in his new endeavors.