Grassroots Charter
Christensen Grassroots Charter || Guiding the development of non-elite handball
Marking an important step forward in the continued development of handball across Europe, the newly created EHF Grassroots Charter was presented at the 16th Extraordinary EHF Congress on 14 December.
The Charter outlines the rights, duties and responsibilities of the EHF and signatory member federations regarding the development of grassroots handball, which was identified as a core pillar in the EHF Master Plan.
The mission of the Grassroots Charter is to grow the handball community by attracting more players and expanding the fan base and potential workforce. Grassroots handball is defined as all handball played on a non-professional or non-elite level, across all age groups. The focus is on those who are there for enjoyment of the game more than competitiveness.
The purpose of the Grassroots Charter is to develop related activities by supporting, monitoring, measuring and rewarding EHF member federations who commit to the development of grassroots handball. The aim is to give the opportunity to everyone, including players with impairment or special needs, to play and enjoy handball in a safe, fun and fair environment.
Additionally, the Charter targets the establishing of a long-lasting and sustainable strategy for developing grassroots handball and creating an enduring impact on the sport in different countries.
From the federation perspective, grassroots handball holds value as a way to attract more players, coaches, referees, members of the related workforce and fans. It also increases both direct and indirect spending.
For players involved on a grassroots level, participation in the sport for the sake of enjoyment is positive for both physical and mental health, bringing a multitude of benefits including increasing social and community connections and creating a healthier lifestyle.
Following his passing in November, the Charter was named the “Christensen Grassroots Charter” in honour of then Danish Handball Federation President Morten Stig Christensen.