“FREE THROW” – The EHF Handball Talk

Former top-class players Christian Schwarzer, Stefan Kretzschmar, François-Xavier Houlet and Tomas Svensson are to take part in a podium discussion during the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in the LANXESS arena, Cologne, under the title of “FREE THROW” - The EHF Handball Talk.

In front of an invited audience of over 60 people and streamed live on ehfTV.com, the former players will discuss their ideas for the future development of the sport, how it could look in the future, how the sport can grow its fan community and further attract new sponsors and partners.

The podium discussion will take place on Saturday, 1 June 2013 at 12:00 hrs (CET) in the Media Centre of the LANXESS arena and will involve invited guests including former players, the media and handball fans. All media representatives with an accreditation for the VELUX EHF FINAL4 are invited to attend the event.

About the participants

Christian Schwarzer is a former German national team player. He won a gold medal at the European Championship in 2004 and was part of the team that won the World Championship in Germany in 2007. A successful club career saw him win the EHF Cup with TBV Lemgo in 2006 and the EHF Champions League with FC Barcelona in 2000. Since 2011, Schwarzer has been the coach of the German junior team and works as a handball expert on German television.

Stefan Kretzschmar is a handball legend in Germany, the former left winger played for the German national team in 218 matches and scoring 817 goals. He won a silver Olympic medal in Athens in 2004 and the EHF Champions League title with his club SC Magdeburg in 2002. Following his successful career, Kretzschmar has moved into television and is co-commentator and handball expert for the German sports channel, Sport1.

François-Xavier Houlet played for the French national team and club sides both back in France, where he won both league and cup titles. He finished his playing career in the Bundesliga with Vfl Gummersbach. Houlet now works as a handball commentator for the French sports channel, beIN sport, and recently published a biography of the France and THW Kiel player, Thierry Omeyer.

Tomas Svensson is one of the most successful goalkeepers in the history of the sport. Six-time winner of the EHF Champions League with Spanish sides Bidasoa Irun and then FC Barcelona, the Swede has also won numerous major titles, including World and European Championships. Svensson is now a full-time goalkeeping coach with this season’s winners of the EHF Cup, Rhein Neckar Löwen.