It is with great sadness that the International Handball Federation (IHF) has learned of the passing of Jemal Tsertsvadze at the age of 79. Tsertsvadze was a great Georgian handball player, world handball star and honourable president of Georgian National Handball Federation

 

Born in May 1939, Tsertsvadze played for Burevestnik Tbilisi (1958-1975) at club level and was twice champion of the USSR (1962, 1964) as well as winning the top technical player of the championship award on two occasions. At national level he played for the Soviet Union from 1959-1972, scoring 276 goals in 78 matches and was nominated three times in the World All-star Team.

 

At the 1967 World Championship in Sweden he was nicknamed the ‘Handball Wizard’ due to his phenomenal playing techniques and incredible ability of possessing the ball.

 

In 1980 he founded the ‘Olympic Reserve Handball Specialised School’, named after him and in recognition of his exceptional contribution to the development of handball in Georgia, and globally, the Government of Georgia awarded Tsertsvadze with the ‘Order of Honour’ and the rank of ‘Sport Knight’.

 

On behalf of the IHF, and the whole handball family, IHF President Dr Hassan Moustafa, would like to convey his deepest condolences to the family and friends of Jemal Tsertsvadze and the Georgian Handball Federation as well as all of those connected with handball in Georgia.

Photos: Georgian Handball Federation