March/April Executive Board Meetings Minutes
March 21st, 2020
On Saturday 21st March the Executive Board held its first-ever Executive board meeting by video conference due to the ongoing travel restrictions regarding health safety surrounding COVID 19.
All Board members were present, and the President welcomed everyone in these unusual circumstances and difficult times. The President highlighted that as well as the health impact there will be an economic impact to which all parties will be affected and that it is our responsibility to make decisions with fairness and solidarity at their heart.
The December minutes were reviewed and approved.
Competitions Outdoor
The Board discussed all competition matters at length led by Walter Kapounek (Competitions Chair) and David Voskamp (Competitions Manager).
Ø It was agreed that the Women’s Club Trophy scheduled for Easter and all the other Club competitions scheduled for Whitsun are to be cancelled, due to the ongoing impact of COVID 19.
Ø Ranking – the implications for the rankings were discussed and the EHF will inform National Associations of this in due course.
Ø The EHL Final8 is still on hold and options for it will be discussed with the EHL Board shortly.
Ø A decision on whether the U18 and U21 competitions in summer 2020 will continue or not will be made before April 7th.
Ø The hosts for the U18 boys and girls Championships, Kazan, Russia, has had to withdraw from hosting due to a Government directive – participating teams have been informed. (If by April 7th we decide we are going ahead with U18 events we will, at that point, look for a possible new host)
Ø Hockey5 Senior update – The FIH Hockey5s World Cup is scheduled for 2023. A first EHF event is scheduled for early July 2021 to determine the seedings for an EHF World Cup Qualifying event in 2022. Any National Association willing to participate in the Hockey5s World Cup in 2023 MUST enter into the 2021 EuroHockey event.
Ø The hosts for 2021 EuroHockey Championships and EuroHockey5s U16 Championships were approved and will be announced in due course.
Competitions Indoor
Deadlines for Indoor Clubs 2021 to be extended to June 1st, 2020 and Indoor Championships 2022 to September 1st 2020.
Finance Report
Mika Rithila updated the Board on the Finances. A Finance meeting had taken place earlier in the week and the 2019 year-end figures were shown which are up on the approved budget figure. These management accounts will be sent to the auditor who will have the audited accounts ready for the June Board meeting.
Work has begun on assessing various scenarios coming from the current uncertain global situation. This will be discussed further at the next meeting. It was agreed to hold sending Competition entry invoices until a clearer picture emerges so that a fair and equitable solution can be sent.
Director General Report
Angus Kirkland updated the Board on progress with the planning for the EHC 2021 in Amsterdam. He updated the Board on the expression of interest received for the EHC 2023 and the Bid Committee was confirmed as Marijke Fleuren, Inez Cooper, Walter Kapounek, Bjorn Isberg and Angus Kirkland.
Since the last Board meeting the EHF has sent in correspondence to the FIH regarding the calendar and World Cup qualification and the Targeted Assistance Programme. Angus will follow up with the FIH on these matters. The next FIH Executive Board is scheduled for June 5th/6th.
A report from the Disciplinary Commissioner was circulated.
Angus reported that the Athletes Committee had, had its first meeting by Conference Call and that this was very positive and future dates for meetings are in the calendar.
Angus updated the Board that Monika Ivanauskaite had joined the staff as Admin Manager last Wednesday. He and the team will do their best to welcome and induct her at this time.
Reports
All other reports were taken as read. Inez Cooper and Magda Nazaret reported that the Education and Officials Committee meeting had gone well and was very fruitful.
It was reported that the Development Manager Tom Pedersen Smith was working hard on applications to Erasmus+ and funding from this channel would be very welcome.
Next meeting
The Board will meet by Conference Call on Saturday 4th April.
Executive Board Meeting Saturday 4th April by GoToMeeting (continuity of the March Board meeting)
Introduction
On Saturday 4th April the Executive Board held its second Executive board meeting by video conference due to the ongoing travel restrictions regarding health safety surrounding COVID 19.
All Board members were present, and the President welcomed everyone. The President reiterated that as well as the health impact there will be an economic impact to which all parties will be affected and that it is our responsibility to make decisions with fairness and solidarity at our heart.
The President was pleased with the current proactive initiatives from the staff – mainly the launching of the Relive the EHC 2019 on the EuroHockedyTV platform and the educational webinars that were being launched on April 6th.
The President was also happy that during the meeting the Board for the first time ever would be joined by Athlete Committee Co-Chairs Janne Muller Wieland and David Harte!
Finance
The focus of the meeting was around the ongoing finances of the EHF and the revised outlook for the year. The Board were updated on the recent Office Bearers meeting and underpinning our approach are the principles to act with fairness and solidarity with EHF and Member Associations.
The key aim is in these uncertain times to take action that will protect the organisation by seeking to maintain, as best we can, the deficit for the year at no worse than the level approved by members at the General Assembly in 2019. The Director-General and Treasurer went through the revised outlook for the budget line by line. The budget has been prudently revised and we will have to work closely with our members and stakeholders to manage the budget this year to avoid further loses. We will continue to look at all potential areas to save costs throughout the year.
Disciplinary
There was a short update on outstanding disciplinary matters.
Athletes Committee
The President welcomed Janne and David to the meeting – a first for the EHF and one that she hoped and expected will only make us stronger as an organisation.
Introductions were made and a full and open discussion took place around the impact of the Olympics moving forward by a year. Janne and David had discussed this topic with their Athlete Committee counterparts and shared their views and reasons with the Board. The Board and President thanked them for their presence and for their valuable insights.
The President closed the meeting with the next meeting scheduled for the 18th April, which was subsequently moved to 30th April.
Executive Board Meeting Thursday 30th April by GoToMeeting (conclusion of the March Board meeting)
On Thursday 30th April the Executive Board held its third Executive Board meeting by video conference due to the ongoing travel restrictions regarding health safety surrounding COVID 19. The President welcomed everyone to what was becoming familiar surroundings.
Introduction
The President informed the Board of the sad news that Eric Denis, who had previously headed up our UDP working group had passed away from the virus. Eric was heavily involved in umpiring in Belgium and had served the EHF with enthusiasm and passion and will be sadly missed by all who knew him. In further sad news, the President informed the Board of the passing of Annabelle Pennefather. Annabelle was a trailblazer for women in sport as a leading figure in the Singapore sports community, a former vice president of FIH and legal counsel for them. Annabelle was greatly admired by all who met and worked with here and is a great loss to the sport.
On happier topics, the President was pleased with the staff initiatives around education webinars and the 4 Erasmus+ applications which have been submitted and thanks were expressed to the Development Manager, Tom Pedersen-Smith.
The President was delighted to inform the Board of the recognition afforded two of our long-serving volunteers, Herman Kruis and Edna Rutten for their contribution to Hockey by the Dutch Government.
The President updated the Board about the conference meetings held with FIH and the Director General regarding the World Cup Qualification process. The discussions have been open and fruitful, and she will update the Board further after the FIH EB meeting in May.
Competitions Update
Walter Kapounek and David Voskamp updated the Board on the ranking process for our Outdoor Club events now this season has been cancelled. If the EHL Final 8 is completed the ranking will be updated after that. The current rankings will be published in May.
The plans for the coming EHL season with the Final 8 in October. This will be finalized and dependent on government advice that will be received by the 1st September.
The following Easter playing the EHL Final 12 Men and an EHL Cup for teams ranked 13-20 alongside the EHL Final 8 Women’s due to the lack of space in the calendar. The make-up and rationale of the teams for the Men’s side of the competition was outlined to the Board.
The Board were informed that due the Olympics being postponed that the plan for the EHC 2021 was to move it forward to June 4 -13 and is subject to final FIH approval. This has been planned in conjunction with the FIH, KNHB and Athletes Committee input.
Due to the movement of the EHC the Outdoor Club events for Men’s Trophy 1&2 and Women’s Trophy and Challenge I will need to be brought forward to Easter. All of this information will be explained in detail in various bulletins in the coming days.
The EHCII was discussed as this currently sits at the same time as the postponed Olympics. The Board discussed and agreed the best alternatives from a host, player and National Association position and agreed to new dates of the 15-22 August.
General Assembly
In light of the anticipated new EHC dates the General Assembly was briefly discussed. It was generally felt that it would not be logistically possible to hold it in early June so alternative dates would be considered and discussed at the next Board meeting.
Finance
The Board received a short finance update and the cashflow position. Budgets are being scrutinized and all avenues of cost savings are to be examined. Monika Ivanauskaite is starting to do more of the financial back end work and all NAs will receive a letter with a clear update of their accounts including how to use the Education/Development credit notes.
The next meeting was set for June 13th at 10:00am.
The President thanked everyone for their contributions and a good meeting. Bulletins will be prepared to inform all our members of the outcome of our discussion and decisions.