The first meeting of the working group of the IHF New Markets Project in China was held today at the IHF Office in Basel, Switzerland. Chinese Handball Federation President Wang Tao travelled to Basel for the meeting with representatives of the IHF, which was also attended by members of Forum Club Handball and representatives of the Swedish and Norwegian Handball Federations.

 

Following a welcome from the President Moustafa, the 2018-2024 development project strategy plan was discussed. The plan targets several different areas, such as China’s men’s and women’s national teams, with a focus on long-term athlete development and the placement of top players at clubs in Europe. Other facets of the plan include the establishment of a professional league and elite sporting structure within the country. Education – specifically the structure of coach development and the IHF Handball at School project – and potential hosting of events such as the Super Globe and the 2020 Women’s Youth (U18) World Championship were also discussed as part of the strategy, along with recruitment for both administrative and coaching positions within China.

 

After the examination of the project strategy plan in place over the next six years concluded, a six-month evaluation report was presented and a cooperation agreement between the Chinese Handball Federation and top handball nations – such as Norway and Sweden – was discussed.

 

In attendance from Forum Club Handball, the group founded in 2011 to represent the top clubs in Europe, were Vice-President Gregor Planteu, Deputy Board Member Thorsten Storm, and Managing Director Gerd Butzeck. The representatives of the Swedish and Norwegian Handball Federations were President Fredrik Rapp and Head of Development Kari Aagaard, respectively. From the IHF, President Dr Hassan Moustafa, General Director Amal Khalifa, Chairman of the IHF Commission of Coaching and Methods Dietrich Späte, and Competitions Director Patric Strub were in attendance.