European Handball Manager celebrates 10th anniversary

It was 10 years ago that the first European Handball Managers started their journey in this programme, which is organised by the German Sports University Cologne and the European Handball Federation. Including the 2025 cohort, an overall of 141 graduates have received the certificate now. 

The graduation ceremony in LANXESS arena was attended by EHF President Michael Wiederer, Honorary EHF President Jean Brihault, EHF Secretary General Martin Hausleitner, President of Forum Club Handball Xavier o’Callaghan, Managing Director of Forum Club Handball Gerd Butzeck and Managing Director of EHF Marketing GmbH David Szlezak. 

“It is a pleasure to dive into the academic world and to see the future of handball managers. There is no better place to see what handball is able to do than the LANXESS arena. Here at the EHF FINAL4, you see what is possible for new managers,” said Wiederer. 

Brihault praised the programme’s special approach: “In the beginning, it was the request of Forum Club Handball to improve the quality of club managers. Now we have the best example of academic education, fed by research, with open-minded and constructive people working on both sides.”

In 10 years, 42 lecturers have held 720 teaching units. Among the graduates have been two former IHF World Players of the Year: Henning Fritz (Germany) and Eduarda Amorim (Brazil). The European Handball Manager certificate programme, which is unique in Europe, has developed into a renowned qualification for leaders in professional handball, with graduates from over 25 countries and numerous success stories in management positions. 

“We managed all challenges, like the pandemic. We had many dedicated and motivated graduates, and it gives me great pleasure to see the development of them,” said Dr Stefan Walzel, programme director at the German Sport University Cologne. 

In recognition of their contribution to the European Handball Manager Programme over the past 10 years, Walzel handed over the European Handball Manager Distinguished Service Awards to Helmut Höritsch (retired EHF office responsible for education and development) and Butzeck.

The cohort who received their certificates on the eve of the TruckScout24 EHF FINAL4 2025 had finished their course with written and oral exams. The certificate of honour for the best graduate of the 2024/25 programme was awarded to Victor Mihalescu from Romania.

“The European Handball Manager not only imparts handball-specific knowledge in fields such as economics, law, team leadership and media — it also opens the door to a constantly growing network of specialists,” said Hausleitner. 

“The programme thus offers incentives both for people at the beginning of a club or federation career and for those who have already been working in handball for several years — and ultimately, it is our sport that benefits.”

When started back in 2015, the aim was to meet the growing demand for professional, internationally trained handball managers, tailored to the specific requirements of the sport.

The programme is characterised by its practical orientation and international perspective. Renowned lecturers from academia and practice impart sound specialist knowledge. “The training and further education of highly qualified handball managers is an important prerequisite for the further professional development of handball,” said Walzel. 

“The success of the programme over the last 10 years is also an incentive for all of us to continue along this path. I would therefore welcome it if managers in professional handball clubs were subject to similar qualification requirements as referees and coaches.”

Many of the 121 graduates from former years now work in leading positions at national and international handball clubs, leagues and associations. To mark the anniversary, those responsible at the German Sports University Cologne and the EHF have announced further development of the programme's content. In the future, digital tools and topics such as sustainability, data analysis and competitive sports management will be integrated even more strongly in order to successfully master future challenges in sports management. 

Photos © kolektiff (main); Thomas Leuschen