Kometal survive crisis

FYR Macedonian champion Kometal GP will take part in the Champions League this season. The club survives the financial crisis that started a few months ago. Several sponsors will support the club until February 2009.

The club was looking for new sponsors for almost two months after Trifun Kostovski decided to quit sponsoring the club.

The former CL winner will continue to operate with a different club model: more small sponsors adding up the budget instead of a main sponsor granting it.

The players will also be paid and all CL costs will be covered. The management board of the club are optimistic that the approx. 600 000 Euro will be available, which is necessary for the club’s regular activity.

In the CL group phase Kometal will play against Zvezda Zvenigorod, Győr and Ikast.

Players were informed about the future of the club and President Ivan Bojkov asked them to focus on the games and on winning. All obligations will be fulfilled by the club.

The Board is satisfied with the players and the performance of the team in the Adriatic League after they have beaten Krim and Hypo in Skopje.

Former main sponsor, Trifun Kostovski, will also support the club in the future. He will commit less money, though. He informed the club officials that he will stay among the "financial supporters", because he could not easily forget the 15 years he invested in this club. At the same time the club needs to raise more money from their marketing activities.

Kostovski announced his withdrawal from all handball activities and sponsoring on 1 September, few days before the start of the new regional Adriatic Handball League, where Kometal GP is the as only club from FYR Macedonia.