IHF Statutes 2026

Key changes in this editioncompared with the edition of 3 October 2019

1. Establishment of the Handball Court of Arbitration (IHCA)Article 23 has changed the final avenue of appeal: once the federation's internal stages are exhausted, a final IHF decision may be challenged before the Handball Court of Arbitration (IHCA), seated in Basel, Switzerland, rather than before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Two exceptions remain: doping cases are heard by the CAS Anti-Doping Division, and disputes relating to the Olympic Games are heard exclusively by CAS in Lausanne. Cases commenced before CAS prior to the establishment of the IHCA are concluded there.
2. Age cap of 75A candidate for an office that carries membership of the Executive Committee must not have reached the age of 75 at the time of election.
3. Redefinition of the adjudicatory bodiesThe term “legal bodies” replaces the previous arrangement: the Arbitration Commission, the Arbitration Tribunal and the Ethics Commission are designated “adjudicating bodies”, while the Disciplinary Commission and the Jury are designated “disciplinary bodies”, active only during events. The powers of these bodies do not limit the disciplinary powers of the Congress and the Council.
4. Expanded scope of jurisdictionThe exclusive jurisdiction of the IHF bodies now extends beyond players, officials and national federations to clubs, players' agents and coaches.
5. Oversight of national federation governanceAny amendment to a national federation's statutes must be submitted for approval to both the IHF and the relevant continental confederation before it is put to that federation's general assembly. An elective assembly must be notified to the IHF in advance, and its results must be reported together with the required documentation — including the minutes of the assembly, confirmation from the National Olympic Committee and the list of board members. The IHF may appoint an observer to report on the conduct of the assembly to the Head Office.
6. Definition of “exceptional circumstances”The IHF's power to install a provisional committee in a national federation remains in place, but this edition enumerates its instances for the first time: where the lawfulness of an election is contested and the National Olympic Committee refuses to recognise the results on grounds the IHF accepts; where a majority or all of the board members resign without timely replacement; where the elective assembly fails to reach a quorum in the absence of internal rules; and where a majority or all of the board members are sentenced to imprisonment or banned from handball activities by a court or arbitral body.
7. Expulsion from membership and suspensionExpulsion from membership is now effected at the request of the Council and follows “serious and/or repeated” violations. The Council's power of immediate suspension is limited to national federations, and a suspension must be put to a vote at the next Congress; the Council may also refer a stakeholder's case to the Ethics Commission.
8. Electronic meetingsAny IHF organ may hold meetings and take decisions remotely — by telephone, video or any other suitable electronic means.
9. Manipulation of results and bettingAll stakeholders are required to comply with the rules on the manipulation of results, collusion and betting as set out in the ethics regulations.
10. Rules of the Game and wheelchair handballThe Rules of the Game for wheelchair handball, in both six-a-side and four-a-side formats, have been added to the list of regulations, and the Beach Handball and Wheelchair Handball Working Groups, alongside the Playing Rules and Referees Commission, may approve the trial application of amended rules. Changes published on 1 March may be applied in IHF competitions before their general entry into force on 1 July.
11. Commercial rightsIn the list of events in which the IHF is the original owner of the rights, electronic sports has taken the place of beach handball competitions.