In Parts 1 and 2 of our communication with EHF officials, we detailed how our platform has been treated since its inception, especially in relation to the developments surrounding Irish handball and the stance the EHF has taken.
In Part 3, we share and explain EHF President Michael Wiederer's response, received on June 4th through Corporate Liaison Marsha Brown. In his email, he outlines his position and refers to us as a "private blog", among other points. We will provide further details on these matters, just as we did in our response to him on June 6th, however, focused only on the Irish Handball News platform. The original email is attached in the PDF below.
The EHF President’s statements do not fully reflect the nature of our independent platform, nor do they accurately address the EHF's responsibilities as a continental federation.
We begin with his statement that he is “positive that handball enthusiasts try to get involved and contribute to the development of the sport.” However, this sentiment does not align with the actions taken against our independent platform, particularly in light of our efforts to engage the EHF in addressing ongoing issues within Irish handball.
The EHF President referred to us as a "private blog," but we are, in fact, an independent platform and have never claimed to be an official contact point. Instead, we are the only platform in Ireland dedicated to handball, focused on promoting the sport, its community, key decisions, and related activities.
The name "Irish Handball News" accurately reflects our mission to provide comprehensive coverage of handball-related news in Ireland. As we are not infringing on any existing trademarks or copyrights, we are fully entitled to use this name. Any misinterpretations of our platform’s identity are based on subjective assumptions and do not stem from any affiliations we have never claimed.
In line with this mission, we actively engage with key figures, ask critical questions, and conduct thorough research—just as many other platforms/journalists do around the world. Although we are a volunteer-based, amateur journalists not affiliated with any federation, we believe this does not diminish our commitment to holding organizations accountable and promoting transparency, which serves the best interests of both the sport and society.
In response to the accusation of being labeled a "private blog," we believe it's important to clarify the distinction between a private blog and an independent platform. This distinction is not unlike what a federation claims when it presents itself as an independent entity serving the public.
A private blog often reflects the specific interests or biases of its owners or backers. These blogs may cover a wide range of topics without necessarily adhering to journalistic standards, and their content is typically subjective. They are usually not connected to any formal organization or institution, and their credibility is often determined by the transparency and ethics of the individuals behind them.
In contrast, Irish Handball News operates as an independent blog, emphasizing autonomy and impartiality. Unlike private blogs, we are not influenced or controlled by external interests. However, the independece allows us to provide unbiased and objective coverage. Our mission is to serve the interests of the handball community and to promote good governance within sport organizations. We adhere to strict journalistic standards, ensuring that our reporting is based on factual information rather than personal impressions or affiliations.
Our commitment to transparency and ethical journalism guarantees that our content is both reliable and informative. We focus on educating and serving the handball community, rather than advancing personal or organizational agendas regarding how news should be presented.
A review of our past publications on our website and social media confirms our objective reporting on events, decision impacts, results, and people, all carried out to the best of our ability and time.
It has to be reminded that our independent status has been well-known to EHF officials since February and was accepted and welcomed until June 2nd. They had communicated with us openly, shared information, and provided access to the European Handball Talk, including an opportunity for an exclusive on-site interview. However, this changed abruptly after we published our report on the EHF's stance and their responsibilities regarding Irish handball.
Our decision to remain independent and only cooperate with Olympic Handball Ireland (OHI) was clearly communicated to them in September 2023.
The cooperation with OHI could involve a mutual partnership where both parties work together toward common goals without establishing a formal employment or official position. This type of collaboration would focus on shared objectives, such as offering support, expertise, or resources in areas like promotion and development, rather than creating an employer-employee or employer-volunteer relationship. However, if I were paid by OHI or held a formal position there, the relationship would be governed by a contract or formal agreement. This would set specific expectations and responsibilities, potentially limiting my ability to report on news and actions freely and objectively.
Since the creation of our platform, our intent to cooperate has not been well received. As a result, we have been presenting information from reliable sources, rather than relying solely on the overly positive news found on the official OHI pages. These official news often emphasize achievements without providing the full context of the actions and results, which can create a misleading or overly optimistic view of the organization's performance and of the sport itself. This approach prevents the public from fully understanding the challenges, shortcomings, needs, and broader realities surrounding the events, ultimately undermining transparency and accountability.
From the EHF President’s remarks, it appears our publications are viewed as subjective because we are labeled a "private blog." Despite us clarifying the distinction between being independent and private, he offered no explanation. Instead, there was a noticeable disinterest in addressing how this change in our status was attributed to us, at a time when the principles of journalism were no longer regarded as a positive contribution to "the development of the sport."
Should we be blamed for an EHF Disclosure Policy that hasn’t been properly implemented the same as the EHF Statutes, despite us personally raising the issues and seeking EHF's help privately? Would our objectivity be questioned if we acknowledged board members who haven't been legally elected, or if we chose not to address how OHI and the EHF have handled this issue?
As the president noted, the EHF supports "the idea of transparency, always considering institutional structures and responsibilities." However, this raises important questions: Why were the alleged illegal acts by the Irish board not addressed and instead supported? Additionally, why did Irish Handball News only come under scrutiny after highlighting the EHF's lack of action and seeking their involvement? This situation calls into question whether the EHF's approach aligns with its stated commitment to transparency and accountability.
We raised these questions in an email to the President on June 6th, but have yet to receive any response that demonstrates support for transparency or accountability.
While he "underlined that Olympic Handball Ireland (OHI) and their leadership and representatives constantly work with the European Handball Federation regarding activities and information exchange," we wonder where this communication has been and how truthful and verified it has been over the past 16 years. Was the Irish situation presented accurately, or was it portrayed as a victimized governing body in a society supposedly not interested in a sport that has not been promoted as it should be? There have been schools that were not accepted for affiliation with OHI, school competitions that were not organized at the national level for years, and the number of clubs has decreased drastically to 5. How has this "constant work" been put into practice, and to what extent has the EHF been willing to support an emerging nation—not only with financial aid but also with the necessary structural and organizational backing, along with proper supervision, to ensure the sport's development?
The EHF President addressed our question from a previous article regarding how Fintan Lyons, who hasn’t been re-elected as president of Olympic Handball Ireland (OHI) for the past seven years, was still elected to the EHF Men’s Nations Committee in 2021. According to him, Lyons was elected with a personal mandate and not as a representative of Ireland, “out of the group of the smaller nations.”
This raises valid concerns about the legitimacy of his position. Typically, a committee member applying for a role within the EHF must be formally endorsed by their national federation. Was his endorsement based solely on the fact that he held the title of president at the time, despite not being re-elected?
It is unclear how Lyons, who lacks a legal position within his home federation, can continue to hold a role within the EHF. Although this issue was not known in 2021, by May 2024, it was well-established that Lyons had not been re-elected by his members. Despite this, he has continued to hold his position both within the OHI and the EHF. Surprisingly, this situation does not appear to be a concern for the EHF.
Despite initiating communication with us, the EHF President chose to abruptly end it, assuming his statements were accepted without question: "You are asked to take note of the information and, at the same time, be aware that no further exchanges will be engaged." Although our detailed email prompted a brief response on June 12th, he failed to address our concerns regarding the treatment of our platform and the status implayed.
Below, you can read the President's email reply.
The EHF President's response reflects a dismissive approach toward our platform’s concerns, particularly regarding media accreditation and our role as an independent entity dedicated to promoting transparency in handball. While he acknowledges the rapid development of the EHF's media processes, his statement avoids addressing the core issue: the treatment of Irish Handball News. Since the publication and analysis of the EHF’s lack of action regarding the illegal activities of the Irish board, there has been a continued lack of explanation and clear interest in adhering to EHF own policies and respecting press freedom.
The EHF's media accreditation for our platform, which was reviewed and approved in February, now seems to be under reassessment following the request for "journalistic credentials" announced on June 2nd and of the new status given by EHF. This raises an important question: how many other journalistic platforms dedicated to transparency and accountability in sport have faced similar treatment?
The lack of transparency in dealing with these matters calls into question the EHF's commitment to promoting good governance, as well as respecting the role of independent media in safeguarding these principles. True media freedom relies on a mutual respect for honest reporting, good practices, and ethical standards—values the EHF claims to uphold. This situation not only affects our platform but sets a concerning precedent for how independent voices in sports journalism are treated when they challenge established institutions.
Irish Handball News was founded in August 2023 to promote the sport, advocate for transparency, and uphold principles of ethics and fairness. However, as soon as we started covering sensitive topics, questioning decisions, and holding the EHF accountable for their responsibilities, we were quickly labeled a private platform. This led to a loss of respect, communication, and exclusion from being considered part of "sport development." Defensive attitudes replaced open dialogue, and the EHF withheld transparency, leaving both Irish Handball News and the Irish community without clear answers about their responsibilities as the continental federation.
Should gaps in the system be acknowledged, analyzed, and addressed, rather than hidden to protect those unwilling to take responsibility?
As we consider these developments, we must ask: Can the EHF truly represent the interests of European handball if it does not respect and engage with independent voices that advocate for transparency and adherence to its own policies?
Ultimately, the real test for the EHF is whether it will align its actions with its stated principles of good governance. The future of handball depends on the Federation’s ability to embrace transparency, respect independent journalism, and address systemic issues head-on. Only by doing so can the EHF fulfill its role in nurturing and advancing the sport in a fair and accountable manner.
Will the European Handball Federation dare to rise to the challenge?
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