Handball at the global level needs change, fresh vision and a development push
Franjo Bobinac, President of the Olympic Committee of Slovenia and former President of the Handball Federation of Slovenia, is one of the main contenders who will run for the position of President of the International Handball Federation (IHF) at the IHF Congress to be held in Cairo, Egypt, from December 19 to 22. He has a clear vision and a concrete program.
»The main motivation behind my candidacy is the urgent need to strengthen the importance of handball across the world, securing its Olympic status, and taking handball to the next level. Sports has developed tremendously in the last 30 years, also handball, thanks to numerous stakeholders in handball organizations, including the IHF. However, other team sports have advanced even more significantly. While we honor our foundations from the past, we can not let them limit us in embracing changes and fully use the potentials of handball in a completely changed environment. Fans, partners, all stakeholders expect more. And also, handball deserves much stronger voice within the Olympic family,« points out Franjo Bobinac, who was president of Slovenian handball Federation for 14 years and has served as a member of the Executive Committee of the European Handball Federation for the past four years..
More funds for the development of handball and the national handball federations
Looking at the latest published annual report from 2022, the IHF is sitting on nearly CHF 193 million of liquid and investment-assets, while channeled only around CHF 8.4 million or roughly 4.3% into its development contributions in that year. This shows that while the IHF sets aside substantial funds for development, only a small share is being turned into concrete support for national federations, youth programmes and grassroots initiatives.
»I believe that the IHF’s main mission should be to promote handball globally. Money sitting in accounts does not grow handball. Nations do. Coaches do. Kids do. If I’m elected president of the IHF, I will establish automatic annual reinvestment rule where 30% of all IHF event-related net revenues is allocated directly to National Federations and their leagues each year. Also I will activate IHF provisions intended for handball development mainly through National Federations of at least CHF 25 million within the 4-year term and implement a Modern Development Distribution Model which follows a merit-based system, rewarding federations that demonstrate strong governance, growth and development capacity,« explains Franjo Bobinac. He points out that all allocations will be made under strict transparency and reporting standards detailing KPIs and project outcomes to ensure full accountability.
Representative Officer of each of the 6 Continental Confederations at the IHF Headquarters
Important way to foster closer collaboration across continents and to share views, challenges and best practices is to strengthen the connection between the IHF and each region. For this reason, Franjo Bobinac propose establishing a Representative Officer for each of the 6 Continental Confederations at the IHF Headquarters in Basel to serve as a dedicated liaison, ensuring more effective cooperation and communication between the continents and the IHF.
Handball should become one of the strongest global sports
The vision of Franjo Bobinac is, that handball becomes one of the strongest global sports, with an enhanced Olympic position. Franjo Bobinac’ programme covers six major areas where IHF must act boldly and immediately: Reinvesting Funds, Governance and Transparency, Care of the Game and its Stakeholders, Strengthen Cooperation Among All National Federations, Giving a Stronger Voice to All Member Federations and Enhance Partnerships for Growing Handball Globally.
»Coming from a small country, I fully understand the need to develop a “solidarity model” between the IHF and the National Federations. I strongly believe that diversity is our strength. Every federation, regardless of its size, plays a crucial role in building and expanding interest in handball, which in turn generates higher revenues that can be reinvested to foster growth benefiting all our member federations,« says Franjo Bobinac.
There are also some other key points of his programme.
Limiting mandate of IHF officials
Limiting the mandate of all IHF officials to three terms, with an age cap of 75 at the time of election, strengthens transparency and modern governance. Defined terms prevent the concentration of power, reduce entrenched interests, and create space for new ideas and leaders. Many major sports bodies such as UEFA, FIFA, the IOC, and World Athletics have introduced term limits or leadership rotation systems for exactly these reasons. Adopting similar limits would clearly demonstrate the IHF’s commitment to transparent, forward-looking governance.
Develop Sponsorships with Global Brands
Bringing top partners into sport is an area where Franjo Bobinac consistently delivered results both at Hisense and Gorenje. Having spent much of his career on the partner side, he understands their expectations, concerns and strategic objectives. »It is essential that we create a platform where large sponsorship investment is clearly worthwhile, offering strong value and long-term potential for global partners. These partners could activate marketing activities not only at our flagship world competitions but also at continental, regional and national levels. With a collective effort and the right approach, I am confident that we can attract leading brands across key categories and build lasting, mutually beneficial partnerships for handball,« emphasizes Bobinac.
Strengthening Inclusion and Solidarity Across Handball
As highlighted in several recent conversations with many stakeholders around the world, true inclusion is essential for handball. Participation defines handball and its structures must give every federation a real chance to grow and compete. Franjo Bobinac’ vision is to put inclusion first, supported by a stronger solidarity model and more accessible organisational and financial frameworks.
The Need for a Systematic Approach to Growing Handball from the Grassroots to the Elite Level
Growing handball globally requires a systematic approach built on shared best practices. The goal is to bring the sport closer to the wider public and strengthen the knowledge and skills of everyone involved; from coaches and gym teachers to referees and staff in clubs and federations. By connecting clubs with teachers, introducing simple and engaging training formats and supporting their use in the classroom, handball can build a stronger and more sustainable base to develop from the grassroots to the elite level.
Care of Players
Franjo Bobinac believes that as a global organization, IHF must do more to support athletes’ well-being both on and off the court. This includes designing a more player-friendly, less demanding competitive calendar for female and male players, as well as actively providing practical resources such as educational programs, mentoring opportunities, and guidance for life during and after their playing careers. Strengthening these support systems is essential to helping players thrive and remain proud ambassadors of our sport.
