Austrian Martin Hausleitner has been confirmed as the European Handball Federation’s Secretary General for four more years.

The EHF Executive Committee in its meeting on 24 September approved the 54-year-old’s contract extension until 2025.

Hausleitner has been at the operative helm of the EHF since 1 August 2017 when he assumed office from fellow Austrian Michael Wiederer who had stepped up to become EHF President.

Hausleitner joined from the Austrian Handball Federation where he had been the Secretary General since 1997.

The Executive Committee praised Hausleitner’s efforts over the past four years, saying that his work within the EHF and the cooperation with the federations and clubs has been instrumental for the continuous professional development of European handball.

“When I started four years ago, I saw this role as a new challenge for me both personally and professionally. Today, I can say that I’m very happy I accepted it,” Hausleitner said.

“European handball with our club and national team competitions is established firmly on the international sports market, and I’m looking very much forward to continuing the development together with the EHF Office in Vienna and all our stakeholders.”

Over the past years, Hausleitner has led the digital transformation of the European Handball Federation by fostering the development of a new IT infrastructure and a new digital ecosystem, building the foundation to further enhance the appeal of the sport.

With initiatives such as the ‘Respect Your Talent’ programme, the EHF’s talent support programme promoting the holistic development of talented players’ careers on and off the court, strong and widely praised initiatives for the long-term growth of the sport have been set by Hausleitner.