The governance of handball in Ireland has faced significant challenges in recent years, including issues with transparency, elections, conflict of interest and board appointments. These problems have not only affected the integrity of the sport locally but have also raised concerns at the European and international levels. Instead of addressing these issues, the EHF's actions suggest a disregard for transparency. Meanwhile, the Irish Minister of Sport, Sport Ireland, and the International Handball Federation (IHF) remain conspicuously absent, despite the OHI's comments of cooperation with some of them.
Since its inception, Irish Handball News has advocated for an open and honest discourse within the sport. However, our recent experiences with the EHF—marked by closed channels of communication and ignored calls for transparency—reveal a troubling contradiction between the federation’s stated principles and its actions.
This article is the first in a series that will unfold the entire story, with each part essential to understanding the full narrative chronologically. We will delve into our communications with different officials from the EHF and the IHF, exploring the broader implications for transparency and accountability within sports organizations operating in democratic societies.
We believe that shining a light on these issues is the first step toward meaningful change and making it clear that such behavior cannot be accepted. Through this series, we aim to hold those in power accountable, ensuring that governance in handball—and sports more broadly—adheres to the principles of transparency, fairness, and democratic participation. We also support the important role of free speech and independent platforms in encouraging open discussion and protecting the rights of people who want to expose wrongdoing.
We urge the handball community, both in Ireland and internationally, to stand with us in demanding answers and pushing for reforms that will protect the integrity of the sport we all cherish. Together, let us ensure that the values of transparency, accountability, good ethics, and freedom of expression are upheld. These principles are essential not only for the integrity of the game but also for the betterment of society as a whole. By championing these values, we can foster a sporting environment that reflects the highest standards of fairness and openness, benefiting both the sport of handball and the broader community.
Background on Olympic Handball Ireland (OHI)
The governance of Olympic Handball Ireland (OHI) has been a subject of concern for many years for its members, despite some emails being sent to its secretary asking questions. Issues such as the failure to hold regular elections and the unclear process of board appointments have raised serious questions about the organization's commitment to democratic principles. These governance problems have not only hindered the development of handball across the island of Ireland for the past 16 years, but have also created an environment where transparency and accountability are sorely lacking.
The impact of these governance failures extends beyond Ireland. As a member of the European Handball Federation (EHF) and International Handball Federation (IHF), OHI's actions—or inactions—reflect on the broader handball community. Despite these issues, the EHF has expressed "full trust" in OHI, a stance that seems to ignore the realities on the ground and undermines efforts to promote good governance within the sport, while IHF is letting the silence as an answer of its lack of responsibility, interest and even respect.
On the local front, the Minister of Sport, Thomas Byrne, has distanced himself from the ongoing issues within Olympic Handball Ireland (OHI), stating that he "has no role in these matters for any sport and it would not be appropriate for him to intervene." He emphasized that OHI, as an independent and autonomous body, is responsible for its own governance procedures. This position, however, overlooks the fact that OHI receives government funding and that such behavior is not legal, raising questions about accountability and oversight.
On the other hand, Sport Ireland, which is responsible for upholding the "Governance Code for Sport, A Code of Practice for Good Governance of Sport Organisations in Ireland," has remained notably silent. Despite clear violations of this code by OHI—including the failure to hold re-elections, the appointment of new board members without proper procedures, and evident conflict of interest—Sport Ireland has taken no visible action to address these serious governance issues, even though OHI has mentioned in their last email from 31st May that are "continuously engaging" with them.
This lack of intervention from both the Minister of Sport and Sport Ireland not only undermines the principles of good governance but also raises concerns about the effective use of public funds and the commitment to upholding ethical standards in Irish sports.
The situation with Olympic Handball Ireland (OHI) highlights a troubling gap in the governance of sports organizations. This issue is not only a local concern but also a matter of international significance, given OHI's affiliations with the European Handball Federation (EHF) and the International Handball Federation (IHF), and more precicly of the existence of the EHF WHISTLEBLOWING PLATFORM with its EHF Disclosure Policy since 2018, of reporting any wrongdoing "to both promote and also protect fairness in handball, as well as to ensure the integrity and credibility of the sport, both on and off the playing court."
If these governance issues are left unaddressed, they risk damaging the integrity of the sport. It is imperative that all stakeholders—including government bodies, sport authorities, and the handball community—take decisive action to ensure that OHI adheres to the principles of good governance, transparency, and accountability. Without such efforts, the future development of handball in Ireland, as well as the ethical standards of sports governance, will remain in risk.
Behind Closed Doors: The EHF’s Interaction with Irish Handball News
Starting with August 2023, Irish Handball News has been determined in its commitment to promoting transparency and upholding the integrity essential in the Irish Handball. Our efforts prioritize adherence to the law over personal interests or relationships, advocating for the freedom to remain independent—a status that the EHF had not previously found problematic until June 2nd, 2024.
After a long wait for the EHF to respond to our emails and provide clear explanations for their decisions, it seems they have indeed closed any interaction with a media channel that supports the law, transparency in sport and its community rights. Could this be viewed as censorship or suppression of free speech? Is this an attempt to control the narrative and limit transparency within the organization?
As everyone might know, May 4th marked the announcement of the irregularities within Olympic Handball Ireland (OHI), followed by the European Handball Federation's (EHF) declaration of “full trust in the Irish federation”. Despite the clear impact of this approach as a continental federation with a code of ethics to uphold, the EHF did not reconsider its position in light of the challenges the Irish handball community has faced for years. Instead, they seemed to view our platform’s call for help and transparency, as a danger to its organization and sport itself, stopping explianing the actions taken agaist us.
Initial Contact and Media Accreditation Process
Irish Handball News’s direct communication with EHF representatives began in February 2024 when we decided to advance our platform by obtaining EHF Media Accreditation. We applied online, sharing our platform details, and on February 23, we received acceptance from the EHF after reviewing our application. However, this acceptance appeared to be disregarded by the EHF on June 2nd (the details of this situation will be explored further in subsequent articles.)
The Beginning of Irish Handball News's Engagement with EHF Officials
On February 13, we reached out to the EHF's media department seeking support for a project centered on emerging nations in European handball, with a specific focus on Ireland. Given its role as the governing body for handball in Europe, the EHF's insights and expertise were anticipated to be crucial for our initiative. We requested a brief interview with a representative from the EHF who could offer valuable perspectives on this subject.
We informed the EHF that the insights from this interview would be used to craft an article for Irish Handball News, aimed at providing the Irish handball community with a comprehensive understanding of the sport's progress and developments in Ireland and in Europe.
On the same day, we received a response from Thomas Schöneich, the EHF Director of Media & Communications.
“Hi Anamaria,
Thanks for your email and your interest/passion for the sport.
I have been glancing over your email and I would suggest – given the topics that you mentioned you are most interested in – that you first speak to the IOHA and either its president, Fintan Lyons, or its secretary general, Michael Moloney. Fintan is also a member of the Nations Committee Men within the EHF.
Especially when it comes to challenges and opportunities for the sport in Ireland, both would have a much deeper knowledge of such a topic.
If afterwards, there are topics left from the European perspective, I’m happy to look at your request again.
All the best,
Thomas”
While we reached out to Fintan Lyons, the long lasting president for the past 16 years, to seek his cooperation on this project too, we also deemed it essential to incorporate the EHF's perspective more in detail. We requested direct collaboration from the EHF to provide insights on the following project idea and its main focuses:
“My interest lies in exploring the broader European perspective on nurturing handball in smaller emerging nations across the continent. Understanding the comprehensive range of initiatives, support mechanisms, learning opportunities, funding allocations, international transfers, national team engagements, collaborations, and strategies employed by the EHF in this regard is of immense value. This holds particular significance for European countries in proximity to major handball nations, where the sport's culture is deeply ingrained.
To delve deeper into this topic, I am particularly interested in understanding also the following:
Developmental Initiatives: I would like to learn more about the various programs and initiatives undertaken by the EHF to support handball development in emerging nations. This includes grassroots programs, coaching clinics, infrastructure development projects, and talent identification programs.
Support Mechanisms: It would be insightful to understand the types of support mechanisms provided by the EHF to assist emerging nations in overcoming challenges and barriers to handball development. This could encompass financial assistance, technical support, or access to resources and expertise.
Evaluation Processes: I am keen to know how the EHF evaluates the effectiveness and impact of its developmental initiatives in emerging nations. Understanding the criteria and metrics used for evaluation would provide valuable insights into the success and areas for improvement of these programs.
Collaborations and Partnerships: Collaboration is paramount to driving sustainable development in any sport. I am eager to learn about the partnerships and collaborations forged by the EHF with other organizations, national federations, or governmental bodies to support handball development in emerging nations.
Additionally, I would appreciate your opinion on the situation in Ireland over the last 20 years. Specifically, how does the EHF view Ireland's position within the broader emerging handball landscape and the initiatives undertaken to support its development.
I firmly believe that such discussions will provide a holistic understanding of handball's growth trajectory and underscore the importance of international collaborations and support structures in uplifting the sport globally. Your expertise and perspective on these matters would undoubtedly enrich our discussion and contribute significantly to fostering a deeper understanding of handball's landscape.” - sent on February 13, as part of our earlier interactions.
This request was followed up on March 28 due to a lack of response. After a considerable period with no updates, we received an email from Thomas Schöneich only on April 17, which stated:
“Dear Anamaria,
Thank you for your email.
As far as I’m aware you spoke to the Irish federation after we exchanged emails, covering “Irish handball topics” as such as well as on emerging nations on a broader level.
My understanding is that with this your request for information should have been covered.
If that’s not the case, I will do my best to supply you with information based on the questions you asked. However, this will take some time as we are entering the business of the club handball season as I write.
Best,
Thomas”
Although Thomas Schöneich believed the request had been resolved, Irish Handball News never received the date of the official interview with Fintan Lyons. Instead, we only had an informal meeting where the project was briefly discussed. During this meeting, it was clearly stated that our intention was to cooperate solely with Olympic Handball Ireland and not working for them. Despite my efforts to arrange the interview, these attempts were overlooked, and the opportunity for a formal discussion about the project remained unrealized mentioning to Thomas that “It has been almost three months since I had a meeting with the president of Olympic Handball Ireland. However, since then, my inquiry is still pending resolution, as we await confirmation on a suitable date and time that accommodates both parties.
In addition to covering developments within the Irish context, my aim extends to exploring the landscape of the European Handball Federation (EHF), particularly in relation to emerging nations. To achieve this, I'm planning two separate interviews and would be grateful for your assistance in facilitating them.”
While Thomas did not respond to our request with a clear engagement, Fintan Lyons showed interest in replying to our follow-up message on April 19. He apologized for being ill for a few days, which had delayed his response to our April 17 follow-up. The conversation was then scheduled for April 26 and followed up on April 29, 2024. And as un update, our project idea could not go ahead as the answers shared by Fintan Lyons faced many "I dont remember" , "'Its been a long time ago", "I dont recall it". While having EHF collaboration is even more impossible now, considering the overall situation and the changes that have occurred since our publications about their stance on illegal activities in Ireland.
However, we were once again met with silence from Thomas until May 13th, when we reached out again following our disclosure of illegalities that had persisted for at least the past seven years, which we had revealed on May 4th based on the interview taken with Fintan Lyons, clubs members information and other documents. We presented the Irish situation and requested a discussion with him or any other representative from the EHF. We inquired, “I would like to know what the EHF plans to do about the situation in Ireland, as there has been no indication that the Irish board intends to step down despite the illegal manner in which they have maintained their positions within the association, as well as their actions and inactions that continue to hinder the sport’s progress rather than fostering its development.” By that time, a week had passed since our publication about the Irish governance issue, with no sign of remediation from Olympic Handball Ireland, aside from an apology email citing a "human error" by the secretary.
This time, we received a prompt reply on the same day from Thomas:
“Hi Ana,
Thanks for your message.
I have been reading the articles on your website and believe that you have already been provided with proficient answers to your questions.
The EHF has full trust in the actions taken by the Irish federation. Beyond that we cannot comment further on internal proceedings.
Best,
Thomas”
Given the seriousness of the situation, the response was shocking. We asked for more details and solutions on the same day, May 13th.
“I would like your explanation as a representative of the European Handball Federation, whose main purpose is to support the development of this sport not only in major handball nations such as Germany and the Nordic countries but also in smaller nations striving to make a difference. The decision that is called "full trust in the actions taken by the Irish federation", are working against the sport and the worst, against the people who spend time and money for the sport to make their club running and keep this federation being active.
People leave the sport because of the way the board is working in the federation, and not because of the lack of money or development. What can we do if we don't get support from you?
Additionally, how is it possible that even the conversation I personally had with the incumbent president, who has held the position for the last 7 years without being elected, is considered unimportant in your vision? How can trust be fostered so that we, as a handball community, can be heard and receive help for better outcomes? The conversation I had with the incumbent president was recorded word for word, with his consent, and written as he expressed and answered my questions, word by word. If necessary, I can provide the recording if my explanations and the handball community experiences and complaints are not taken in consideration as trustworthy.
If all these facts are considered as a reason to trust the Irish federation even more, what else can we do in our positions as real volunteers who want to see change happen in this sport and have our work valued?
I'd appreciate clear explanations regarding your previous email. The whole handball community is eager for clear answers. Why, as the EHF representative, do you trust a board that takes positions illegally over its own people who are dealing with issues within their homeland?
We're not willing to accept the status quo, and we are seeking explanations and solutions. The entire handball community deserves appreciation and support, not just a few words and ignoring what we are facing. If what we are facing is not considered a serious situation where direct involvement and assistance is required to ensure that the federation is run legally, then what else remains to do from our side as club members that we see, and we experience injustice?”
Despite our initial inquiries on May 13 being ignored, we followed up with an email on May 22, firmly requesting an update. In this follow-up, we added, "Before informing the Irish community about your response and decision on this matter, we would like to hear your detailed explanations."
However, that remark did not seem to have any effect, as his response received in the same day consisted of:
“Dear Anamaria,
Thank you again for your email. There is nothing to add from what I previously wrote to you.
Best,
Thomas”
Considering there was no intention from Thomas's side to explain the EHF's decision, and as we made him aware, "Before informing the Irish community about your response and decision on this matter, we would like to hear your detailed explanations," we published the article Reactions of the Irish Handball Issues by EHF and Minister of Sport from Ireland on May 29.
At this point, the situation highlights not only a failure to fulfill responsibilities within the continental federation but also a significant lack of respect towards the volunteers who have tirelessly worked to promote and develop the sport in Ireland.
In our last email to Thomas on May 22nd, we stated: "As you are not willing to provide further explanations regarding the conclusions you have reached without fully investigating the situation, I kindly ask that you share my concerns with someone who has the authority to review this matter thoroughly and provide detailed information on the final decision."
Following this, on June 4th, the EHF president himself, Michael Wiederer, emailed us, which will be detailed in our future articles. However, it's important to note that this response was not due to any analysis of the situation.
As we continue to unfold our story, Part 2 of our series will delve deeper into the chronological communication between Irish Handball News and the European Handball Federation (EHF).
Stay tuned!
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