EHF visits Turkey on cooperation visit

A delegation of officials from the EHF, including Jean Brihault, EHF President, Michael Wiederer, EHF Secretary General and Peter Vargo, Managing Director of EHF Marketing GmbH, were in Istanbul on 20/21 February for a cooperation visit.

With the positive development of handball in Turkey in recent years, as well as the country’s passion for team sports, EHF officials were in the country to see for themselves the progress of the sport in this important market.

EHF officials met with members of the Turkish Handball Federation, including its President Mr Bilal Eyuboglu, as well as with officials of Besiktas, a major multi-sport club that could well be said to have ‘arrived’ this season in the VELUX EHF Champions League thanks to some balanced results against top names in European handball, including reigning champions, SG Flensburg-Handewitt.

Officials from the Besiktas club also took the opportunity to meet with officials from FC Barcelona, a multi-sport club which itself has five professional teams and a long and enviable history of success in the EHF Champions League.

Further meetings took place with potential partners and sponsors on the Turkish market, as well as discussions on a hall project in coordination with the EHF.

The visit concluded with the final Group Phase match of Besiktas MOGAZ HT against FC Barcelona, which the Spanish champions decided in the final minutes of the game.

Photo (top left): Jean Brihault, EHF President, makes a presentation to Erdal Karacan, Besiktas JK Board Member (Credit: Besiktas JK)