Michael Wiederer runs for second term as EHF President

EHF President Michael Wiederer has announced on Tuesday that he will run for a second term as EHF President when the next EHF Congress gathers in Luxembourg at the end of April 2021.

The 64-year-old was elected for the first time in 2016 at EHF Congress in St. Wolfgang. Wiederer had been the long-standing Secretary General of the European Handball Federation since 1992.

“The portfolio of duties for the President within the last four years, in cooperation with the Secretary General and the respective specialists, incorporated not only responsibilities that had to be fulfilled but also chances that had to be realised in order for our sport to be widely recognised,” Wiederer wrote in a letter addressed to the leadership of the EHF’s Member Federations.

“Over the past four years, and in addition to handball internal communications, constant contact with our partners from the media and business realms, the sport-political work with various institutions, and the expansion of the networks were of core importance; it was an area that consistently grew, and will ever increase.”

Wiederer underlined the importance of open communication channels to the federations and to all stakeholder representatives. He mentioned the improved marketing situation, which is anticipated for the coming years, and also touched upon the EHF Master Plan, which was presented for the first time at EHF EURO 2020 in January and now, in its revised version, serves as a measure to overcome the challenges brought about by the current crisis.

“Summarising the situation, and taking into consideration the tasks to come, I would like to lead the Executive Committee of the European Handball Federation in the next electoral period, together with those representatives you, the National Federations, elect to the different functions on a sport-political and technical level,” Wiederer concluded in his letter.

Wiederer is the fourth president of the EHF. He succeeded Jean Brihault. The first was Swede Stefan Holmqvist, who headed the federation from its foundation in 1991 until 2004. Holmqvist was succeeded by Tor Lian, who was the president from 2004 to 2012. Brihault succeeded Lian at the EHF Congress 2012 in Monaco.

The 15th Ordinary Congress will take place in Luxembourg on 23 and 24 April. Currently candidates for the approximately 60 positions that will be elected on a management and technical level can be registered. Proposals for positions are possible until 23 January 2021.