IHF Splits Americas Federation, Prompting Outrage

(ATR) The International Handball Federation Council votes to suspend then divide the Pan American Team Handball Federation.

The council voted on Jan. 14 at a meeting in Zagreb, Croatia after hearing from the IHF Arbitration Commission.

PATHF had taken issue with how the IHF President Hassan Moustafa had called a vote on a potential statute revision that would split the federation at the 2017 IHF General Assembly. PATHF said the vote did not reach the necessary two-thirds majority threshold and ignored the will of a PATHF Extraordinary Assembly. Federation presidents from Switzerland and Russia voiced support for PATHF’s cause. Both of those presidents lost elections during the 2017 assembly as well.

In a letter to PATHF, seen by Around the Rings, Moustafa said the Arbitration Commission ruled against the federation for violating statute 10.2 point 3.1. That point states, "In order to ensure a smooth articulation between Continental Confederations and the IHF, Continental Confederations must invite at least the President of the IHF to their congresses".

The IHF then suspended PATHF for violating statute 10.2 point 3.2, which states "The IHF can suspend its recognition of a Continental Confederation in case the said confederation does not respect the normal democratic procedures and/or acts in contradiction with IHF fundamental law on the occasion of its continental congresses".

After suspending PATHF, the IHF Council voted to split the federation into two entities. PATHF will no longer be able to organize Olympic qualification tournaments and World Championships because of its suspension.

According to the IHF letter one member of the Council voted against the decision.A statement from PATHF to the IHF, seen by ATR, names Canadian Handball Federation President Raquel Pedercini as the dissenting member. The statement goes on to say that Pedercini was "denigrated and yelled at by IHF president for defending the unity of our federation, and threatened to be ‘removed from her position’ for opposing".

PATHF President Mario Moccia andContinental Representative Rafael Sepúlveda Montalvo were barred from attending the IHF Council Meeting. Moccia said both had a right to be there as IHF Continental Vice-President and Representative.

"The IHF Council, under coercion and intimidation by its president, Hassan Moustafa, decided last January 14 to force the division of PATHF into two separate entities, in an assault on the sovereignty of our organization and the integrity of the sport worldwide," the PATHF statement said. "PATHF has become a victim of a sports leader that manipulates an international federation for his own benefit, a federation whose yearning to make a better world through sport has nothing to do with such petty interests."

According to someone with knowledge of the situation PATHF intends to appeal the decision of the Arbitration Commission to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Before that,ATR understands PATHF may need to submit another appeal to the Arbitration Commission given the actions by the IHF.

Splitting PATHF into two federations could have ramifications on the makeup of the IHF Council. Continental confederations may nominate an IHF vice-president only"if it has at least 23 National Federations as full members," according to IHF statute 13.2 point 2. The proposed split by the IHF Council would create theNorth America and the Caribbean Handball Confederation with 19 full members, and the South and Central America Handball Confederation with 18 full members.

"This attempt to dismantle our federation is a direct assault on our sport as a whole and, as a consequence, on our athletes," the statement continued. "There is no doubt that Moustafa seeks to destroy handball in Pan-America.

"Under the excuse that the disproportionate measure was made for the simple fact that Moustafa was not officially invited to an extraordinary assembly of our federation, the IHF seeks to punish PATHF for refusing to be dismantled. PATHF will seek all legal paths available to stop this outrage from Moustafa and to defend the integrity of worldwide handball from those forces from the past that make lack of transparency and manipulation their only sport."

Written by Aaron Bauer

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