History of AHF:
The march of
the Asian Handball Federation had began when the
Martyr Shaikh Fahad Al-Ahmad
Al-Sabah head of the Kuwaiti delegation to the seventh Asian games, Tehran –
Iran – 1974, presented a motion to the Executive Committee of the Asian
Games requesting recognition of the handball game and also formation of the
Asian Handball Federation.
This historical motion was based on the fact that the
handball game is widely played in Asian. It was a demand of time that official
and technical support to the game is enhanced in order to achieve its further
development and expansion in the Asian region.
Accordingly, the Asian games federation during it’s meeting
on 26th of August 1974, had recognized handball as an official game
to nineteen at that time.
In view of these proceedings
Martyr Shaikh Fahad AlSabah took
the initiative to invite delegation heads present in Tehran to a meeting for a
formal discussion on establishment of the Asian Handball Federation.
After debates and detailed discussions on functions and
activities of the federation, AHF’s establishment was simultaneously
approved and the board lines that were working on it are defined.
The meeting had also elected the
Martyr Shaikh Fahad Al-Sabah as a caretaker President and Mr. Syad Abul Hassan as a
caretaker Secretary General of the President and
Mr. Syad Abul Hassan as a caretaker Secretary General of the
Federation. Both officials were also given the responsibilities of drafting
the Federation’s statues and By-Laws.
Consequently, in 1976, Handball Federations from all over
Asia were invited to attend the establishment meeting during which
representatives from fourteen Asian countries were present in addition to the
Secretary General of International Handball Federation. This meeting formally
announced establishment of the Asian Handball Federation confirming to its
Status and By-Laws. Thus the first Council of the AHF was elected and the
Executive Committee was formed. State of Kuwait was chosen to be
Federation’s Head Quarter and since then the Government of Kuwait has hosted
the Federation extending necessary support to it’s operation and activities
by all means which includes the annual financial grant.
Since its establishment in year 1974, AHF activities have
been progressively expanding as its strategy has been focused on development
and expansion of the handball game in the Asian continent. AHF members have
been also actively involved in the remarkable achievements throughout the way.