it seems the IHF COC must have put their 'thinking caps' on...

In a commentary two years ago, prior to the 2010 IHF Super Globe event, I made the point that while the Super Globe could be viewed as a nice PR event for handball, it was totally wrong for the IHF to insist on treating it as some kind of official world championship for clubs. The main reason for my criticism was that the IHF was allowing clubs to make a mockery of the competition by permitting an abuse of the IHF transfer regulations, under which the weaker clubs (typically from Qatar and Lebanon) could reinforce their teams by borrowing world-class players for a couple of weeks. Some teams had as many as eight such additions, totally dominating their teams, together with a famous coach also borrowed for the event. By contrast, all the teams from the other continents, including the Europeans, the Brazilians and the Australians came with their normal squads.

Accordingly, I am now pleased to report that, however belatedly, the IHF and its Commission on Organizing and Competition seems to have come to the same insight. At least they have taken a step in the right direction by limiting the number of ‘guest players’ to a maximum of three per team. Perhaps this ‘compromise’ will allow for less embarrassing results for the teams making use of the arrangement, while at the same time preserving the integrity of the event for those team who participate with their own players. The Super Globe will this year again be held in Doha, Qatar, during the period August 27 to September 1.

THN (16 May 2010): The IHF Super Globe: Fine as an all-star event, but not as a serious competition: http://teamhandballnews.com/2010/05/the-ihf-super-globefine-as-an-all-star-event-but-not-as-a-serious-competition/