Ein kleines Leckerli, Lektüre fürs Wochenende: Das Protokoll der Councilsitzung des Handball-Weltverbandes IHF Ende Januar in Zagreb.

• Minutes of Council Meeting No. 10, 31 January 2009 in Zagreb CRO, Sheraton Hotel Zagreb (pdf, 618 KB)

Es geht natürlich einmal mehr um die Reisekosten, die der schwer familiär veranlagte Pharao Hassan Moustafa („Wir sind ein sauberer Sport!“) einfach nicht mit Quittungen belegen mag. Es geht aber auch – in diesem Kreise abschließend – um die Zahlungen des Deutschen Handball-Bundes einst an den russischen Verband, die der DHB-Präsident Ulrich Strombach, ein Jurist, und die auch das UDIOCM Thomas Bach, ebenfalls Jurist, als völlig normal und sauber ansehen. Strombach ist jener Top-Funktionär, der kürzlich gemäß Andreas Lesch (BLZ: „Der Witz mit dem Geldkoffer“) auf die Frage, wie er die Korruptionsverstrickungen von Hassan Moustafa bewerte, dem fragenden Journalisten entgegnet hat:

Über diese Thematik werde ich Ihnen keine Antwort geben, weil ich Sie da nicht für kompetent halte.

Die den DHB betreffende Passage aus den Council-Minutes (Seiten 5/6):

P. Mühlematter presented the proof of payment dated October 2008 amounting to 170,000.- CHF + 50,000.- USD to the Handball Union of Russia via a note of IHF Head Office staff member Anne Gsell. He asked why this sum concerning the 2005 WCh had been brought up in October 2008. Moreover he presented a letter dated November 2005 issued by former Managing Director, F. Birkefeld, and addressed to the president of the Handball Union of Russia, A. Kozhukhov, to confirm receipt of 50,000 USD in cash.

Since this matter occurred at a time when Frank Birkefeld was the IHF Managing Director, Dr Moustafa asked him to join the meeting for this point and to give a statement in front of the Council. He was given the floor, stating the following:

• The 2005 Men’s World Championship was awarded at the 2002 Congress in St Petersburg. There were 3 candidate countries from Europe GER, RUS, NOR. NOR withdrew at an early stage. Then the discussion rose concerning a double candidature from Europe and RUS agreed to run for hosting the Women’s World Championship but to withdraw regarding the Men’s WCh. However, A. Kozhukhov complained about considerable expenses for the candidature and stated he would be unable to justify the withdrawal in front of the council of the Russian federation. Consequently a meeting between U. Strombach, President of the German federation, A. Kozhukhov and F. Birkefeld, acting as a mediator on behalf of the IHF, was arranged. The participants reached the conclusion that Germany will pay 50,000 USD as a compensation for RUS’s expenses.
• When GER was not awarded the 2005 WCh they did not pay the entire sum. In 2005, the IHF, acting as a political and financial mediator, paid the sum to RUS and later on debited the GER account with the named sum as part of the final settlement of accounts of the 2007 Men’s WCh in GER.

P. Mühlematter presented an e-mail sent by A. Gsell to Mr Jaus concerning the management letters issued by the external auditors and addressed to the Executive Committee. The procedure was that the management letters were sent via the IHF Head Office in Basle but that not all members of the Executive Committee did receive the management letters even though they are entitled to.

Treasurer M. Roca explained the handling of these management letters. They were not basically handed over to the Executive Committee but relevant issues were discussed within the Executive Committee.

P. Mühlematter did not accept this explanation; he reaffirmed that he was not handed over the management letter distributed prior to the Paris Council meeting.

In this context P. Mühlematter underlined again that major accusations currently dealt with by the public prosecutor could not be tabled to the Council at that moment.

In anderen Worten: Eine völlig normale Kiste.