"There is no handball in those countries" – Per Bertelsen claims votes are built on fiction

Blocked challengers. Silent federations. Member nations with “no handball at all.”
In a new interview with GoHandball, former IHF top Per Bertelsen doubles down on his criticism of the federation’s leadership.
“The main problem at the IHF is without a doubt Hassan Moustafa,” he says.

In December and January, GoHandball reported on the IHF presidential election with over 20 articles published on the matter. In January, Danish newspaper Ekstrabladet interviewed Per Bertelsen, who has thrown out of the IHF after a falling out with president Hassan Moustafa.

In this follow-up conversation at GoHandball, Bertelsen goes even further. His central claim is not only about leadership style, but about what he describes as a structural system that rewards loyalty, silences critics and keeps inactive federations formally alive.

These are serious allegations. They are Bertelsen’s statements. The IHF has previously rejected criticism of its governance and maintains that its structures are democratic and in accordance with its statutes.

Per Bertelsen is one of the most experienced figures in international handball governance, having served as President of the Danish Handball Federation and a long-standing member of its board since the 1990s. He has also held senior roles within the European Handball Federation, including membership of the Executive Committee, and was Chairman of the IHF’s Commission of Organising and Competition for several years, placing him at the centre of planning major global events.

“Yes, it’s true”

One of the most controversial aspects of the recent election, according to multiple sources cited by GoHandball, was that several presidential challengers were effectively prevented from presenting their campaign messages to the congress ahead of the vote.

When asked directly whether that description is accurate, Bertelsen’s answer is short and without hesitation:

“Yes, it’s true.”

If correct, the implications are significant: limiting candidates’ ability to present their programmes strikes at the core of any democratic election process. The IHF has not publicly acknowledged any procedural wrongdoing.

Another key theme in our reporting was the strikingly weak communication from numerous member federations. In some countries, there appears to be almost no visible handball activity at all, yet they remain full members with voting rights.

Bertelsen does not dispute that picture. On the contrary:

“You are completely right about that. The reason for why it looks like it does is because there is no handball in those countries.”

He then recounts an episode involving a former head of the IHF development commission:

“If we go back 4–5 years a woman named Raquel Pedercini was elected as president of the IHF development commission. After some months Hassan drove her out again because when Hassan said that there were a lot of handball in a lot of these countries she said that in around 20 of those nations there was no handball at all. And she knew the facts. But that is Hassan’s strategy, to get rid of people who speak up, in order for him to keep his control of everything. That’s why almost no-one is willing to fight with him.”

The “non-active” paradox

GoHandball has also highlighted how difficult it appears to be for a member nation to be classified as non-active – even in cases where activity is minimal or unclear.

Bertelsen agrees with that assessment.

“I fully agree with you, it’s almost impossible to be considered non-active as a member.”

He illustrates his point with a personal anecdote:

“Some years ago I was at a dinner on a boat in Egypt. I was sitting next to some handball federation people from Nepal, and asked them about handball and how many players they have in their country and so on. They answered something like ‘We have some students who play against each other at the university’ or something like that. But they had no idea. And that paints the picture for me on how much handball activity there is in a lot of countries outside of Europe. But they can still get accommodation and flight tickets paid for by the IHF, and it’s nice to visit different countries and stay at the best hotels in the world. And then for the next few years ahead of the election they do nothing for handball.”

The structural question is unavoidable: if federations with minimal documented activity retain voting power, what does that mean for the balance of influence within the congress?

Bertelsen’s broader argument is that financial allocation plays a decisive role.

“Hassan decides how much money each country should get from the IHF. And in that way he buys the votes. He can’t control Europe in the same way as other continents, but he doesn’t need Europe to be controlled in the same way either,” says Bertelsen.

Fear at the top

For Bertelsen, however, the issue goes beyond structures and into atmosphere.

He draws a sharp contrast between tournament operations and political leadership:

“If we are at a tournament, everything with referees, delegates and everyone else working there is running great and without problems. Everyone can speak open, help each other out and teach each other things. But from the moment Hassan arrives everything changes, because everyone gets nervous.”

He believes that culture of nervousness explains why so few speak publicly.

“People inside the IHF will 100 percent sure not say anything, because if they do he will ‘kill’ them.”

He also maintains that financial leverage reinforces silence:

“The continental presidents who are close to Hassan know that it’s Hassan who makes all the decisions about how much money you get for certain projects, so they stay close and on his good side, for if not he will kill handball in their countries.”

Such language reflects how Bertelsen perceives the internal climate. The IHF leadership has not responded directly to these characterisations.

A personal break

Bertelsen’s own departure followed a confrontation in Paris, which he previously described in Danish media and reiterates here:

“That is what happened in Paris when I had my falling out with Hassan. I was protecting a delegate who had done nothing wrong. But when I stood up to Hassan he told people that he would ‘kill the big man from Denmark’ and then I was out at the IHF Congress.”

He adds:

“Amal Khalifa, the secretary general, is also a big part of it. You don’t know half of it. She is sitting in Hassan’s lap, and she is really a big problem. That is the truth.”

After more than 60 years in the sport, Bertelsen says his exit still hurts.

“I am 68 years old now, and considering I started playing handball when I was five years old I have been in handball for over 60 years. And now I am gone from handball because of this stupid old man.”

Whether one agrees with Bertelsen or not, his allegations strike at the heart of how international handball is governed: who gets to speak, who gets to vote – and what level of activity is actually required to shape the future of the sport.

The debate is unlikely to fade any time soon.

All of the articles on GoHandball ahead of and after the IHF Congress:

“There is no handball in those countries” – Per Bertelsen claims votes are built on fiction

“Yes, it’s true”

The “non-active” paradox

Fear at the top

A personal break

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