It is the sad task for the EHF to report the death of Gerhard Hofbauer, the president of the Austrian Handball Federation (ÖHB). He passed away on Thursday 28 January 2021 at the age of 82.

Hofbauer entered the leadership of the ÖHB in 1993 as the federation’s vice president. Three years later the extraordinary congress in Feldkirch elected him as the new president, succeeding Hannes Lauermann.

He became the longest serving president of the national federation, and has also been the longest serving president in the history of the EHF. Under his leadership, Austrian handball not only saw a positive development and important reforms within its structures but also achieved several major international successes.

The women’s national team won two sets of bronze medals at the second EHF EURO in 1996 and at the World Championship three years later, and they also made it to the Sydney Olympics in 2000, where they placed fifth. The Austrian men’s national team participated in four EHF EURO tournaments and at as many World Championships.

Hofbauer also oversaw two Men’s EHF EUROs organised by Austria – in 2010 and in 2020, which was co-hosted with Sweden and Norway and which was the first final tournament with 24 participating teams.

The EHF would like to pass its sincerest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Gerhard Hofbauer across the European and international handball family.