PATHF Takes Dispute to CAS

(ATR) A dispute over the status of the Pan American Team Handball Federation has gone all the way to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

PATHF filed an appeal with CAS to annul a decision taken by the International Handball Federation to split the federation in two.

The dispute began during the 2017 IHF Congress in Antalya, Turkey, when President Hassana Moustafa called for a vote on a statute to split the confederation. As a result, the statute went to the IHF Council in its January meeting, which voted to split the confederation. PATHF had appealed the congress vote to the IHF Arbitration Commission.

PATHF had opposed the potential statute in an extraordinary assembly held before the 2017 Congress. During the council meeting, Moustafa said the Arbitration Commission ruled that PATHF violated IHF statues, and suspended the confederation. At the time PATHF said the decision was "an assault on the sovereignty of [the] organization".

CAS confirmed receiving PATHF’s appeal on April 18, according to a release from PATHF.

"PATHF has appealed to CAS because of the constant denial of justice by the IHF, with an internal appeal structure that has opted for a policy of refusals, denials and dilations to the Pan-American confederation’s claims," a statement from PATHF, seen by Around the Rings, read.

"All the irregularities and vices surrounding IHF actions during the entire process are a complete opposite to sports good governance promoted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC)."

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.

In the 10-page lawsuit, seen by ATR, PATHF is asking CAS to rule on five points. The first is that its appeal is upheld, then the decision at the IHF Congress and decision by the IHF Council to split the confederation be retroactively annulled. In addition, PATHF has asked that the IHF bear all costs for arbitration and reimburse the confederation for CAS filing fees and attorney fees.

Written by Aaron Bauer

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