MADRID, 14 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
ASOBAL has assured this Tuesday that the Royal Spanish Handball Federation (RFEBM) prohibits it from organizing the 2023-24 ASOBAL Cup, and has stated that it will take “administrative and legal measures” to demand responsibilities in the face of “a new attempt to suffocate economically and advertising ” to the league.
“This Monday, the ASOBAL Delegate Commission received a letter sent by the president of the Royal Spanish Handball Federation, Francisco Blázquez, conveying the express prohibition of organizing the 2023-24 ASOBAL Cup,” it reported in a statement.
Furthermore, the association insisted that it has been working on the organization of said event for “months” and that it had evaluated “the two cities that have shown interest in hosting”; In this sense, he revealed that he had reached “an agreement”, of which the details were being finalized before the signing, with the Irun City Council and with Bidasoa Irun to be the organizers of a new edition of the tournament.
As he explains, the organization of the ASOBAL Cup by ASOBAL is a decision “approved by the General Assembly of the RFEBM” held in June and “protected by the agreement signed by both entities two seasons ago.” “According to the president of the RFEBM, the agreement expired on June 30, 2023, but the RFEBM has executed parts of the agreement that benefit the federative entity, especially the economic content of the agreement,” he indicated.
“The unilateral application of the agreement by the RFEBM leaves the ASOBAL League in a situation of legal uncertainty, without clarifying which parts of the agreement are valid, for what reason they are valid and who decides its execution. The president of the RFEBM, before “After the 2023-24 season began, the meeting to negotiate the new agreement that governs the relationship between the two entities was delayed throughout the summer,” he continued.
Last Sunday, the ASOBAL Delegated Commission sent a letter on the conditions for organizing the ASOBAL Cup – respecting ASOBAL’s agreements with its sponsors and its television partner – which had as a response “a letter from the president of the RFEBM expressing the grievance which means that ASOBAL tries to impose its conditions on the organization of the Cup”.
“The president of the RFEBM demonstrates the impossibility of creating a space for dialogue based on trust between the two entities that should have the growth of handball in our country as a common objective. In this line and in the context of the preparation phase of the next European Men’s National Team Championship, ASOBAL agreed to modify the dates of the ASOBAL Cup, initially set on the calendar for December 22/23 and rescheduled for December 16/17, to favor a greater rest for the internationals called up with the senior national team,” he continued.
In addition, ASOBAL insisted that it is aware that, starting with the 2024-25 season, its “obligation and right” is to exclusively organize the Men’s Honor Division called Liga Plenitude ASOBAL, “since the highest category of men’s club handball must be organized by a professional league established for this purpose”. “However, and as stated in the Sports Law – current and previous -, this obligation does not prevent ASOBAL from organizing an unofficial competition or even an official one,” he said.
“The ASOBAL League appreciates the enthusiasm and effort of the City Council of Irun and Bidasoa Irun for organizing the 34th ASOBAL Cup and the support of our sponsors in holding this tournament. The express prohibition of the president of the RFEBM harms all parties involved and, by extension, to Spanish handball and its image. ASOBAL reserves all administrative and legal measures to demand responsibility in the face of a new attempt to economically and advertisingly suffocate a Professional League that has been possible thanks to the work of many,” he concluded. .