# Asian Handball Federation > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Asian_Handball_Federation > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Asian_Handball_Federation.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_Handball_Federation > Source revision: 1355388480 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) The **Asian Handball Federation** (**AHF**) is the governing body of [handball](/source/Handball) and [beach handball](/source/Beach_handball) in [Asia](/source/Asia). It has 44 member countries, mostly located on the Asian continent, but excludes the [transcontinental countries](/source/List_of_transcontinental_countries#Asia_and_Europe) with territory in both Europe and Asia – [Azerbaijan](/source/Azerbaijan), [Georgia](/source/Georgia_(country)), [Russian](/source/Russia) Federation and [Turkey](/source/Turkey) – which are instead members of European Handball Federation (EHF). Three other states located along the western fringe of Asia – [Cyprus](/source/Cyprus), [Armenia](/source/Armenia) and [Israel](/source/Israel) – are also EHF members. [Hong Kong](/source/Hong_Kong) and [Macau](/source/Macau), although not independent countries (both are [special regions](/source/Special_administrative_regions_of_China) of [China](/source/China)), are also members of the AHF. One of [IHF's](/source/International_Handball_Federation) six continental confederations, the AHF was formed officially on 26 August 1974 in [Tehran](/source/Tehran) ([Imperial State of Iran](/source/Pahlavi_dynasty)), on the sidelines of the [7th Asian Games 1974](/source/1974_Asian_Games). The AHF headquarters is located in [Kuwait City](/source/Kuwait_City) ([Kuwait](/source/Kuwait)). Its current president is Sheikh [Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah](/source/Ahmed_Al-Fahad_Al-Ahmed_Al-Sabah) from [Kuwait](/source/Kuwait), who is a member of [House of Al Sabah](/source/House_of_Al_Sabah), the ruling family of Kuwait. ## History The Asian Handball Federation (AHF) is in one way absolutely unique: during its history to date it has had only two presidents, and they were father and son. When in 1976 the federation was officially founded and Sheikh [Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah](/source/Fahad_Al-Ahmed_Al-Jaber_Al-Sabah) was elected as president, the sheikh had already contributed significantly to efforts around the sport. In 1974, during the [7th Asian Games](/source/1974_Asian_Games) in [Tehran](/source/Tehran) ([Iran](/source/Iran)), he applied as head of the Kuwaiti delegation at the executive committee for the inclusion of handball into the sports programme and the foundation of a continental handball federation. Handball was at that point already widely spread in Asia. The leaders of the Asian Games accepted handball as an official sport and asked the sheikh to act as interim president and to prepare the statutes of the federation. In this task he was supported by the Secretary General [Syed Abul Hassan](/source/Syed_Abul_Hassan) ([Pakistan](/source/Pakistan)).[1] ## Presidents S. No. Name Tenure 1. Sheikh Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah 26 August 1974 – 2 August 1990 Acting Mohammed Ali Abul 2 August 1990 – 1991 2. Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah 1991 – 5 November 2021 Acting Yoshihide Watanabe 5 November 2021 – 20 December 2025 3. Bader Mohammed Al-Theyab 20 December 2025 – present '**Sheikh Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah died on 2 August 1990 during the [Iraqi invasion of Kuwait](/source/Iraqi_invasion_of_Kuwait) while [defending Dasman Palace](/source/Battle_of_Dasman_Palace). Mohammed Ali Abul served as acting president until the war finished in 1991.** '**Sheikh Ahmed stepped down from AHF presidency following a guilty verdict against him in a Swiss [forgery](/source/Forgery) trial. Therefore, 1st Vice-President Yoshihide Watanabe was appointed as acting president till further orders.** ## Secretaries-general S. No. Name Tenure 1. Syad Abul Hassan 26 August 1974 – 26 November 2000 2. Roshan Lal Anand 26 November 2000 – 25 October 2013 3. Muhammad Shafiq 25 October 2013 – present ## Executive committee The following is the AHF Executive Committee for 2025 – 2029. Designation Name President Bader Mohammed Al-Theyab 1st Vice-President Yoshihide Watanabe Secretary General Muhammad Shafiq Treasurer Faisal Baqer Member Gulnara Turlykhanova Member Ahmed Mohamed Abdulrab Al-Shaabi ## Council The following is the AHF Council for the term 2025 — 2029. Designation Name President Bader Mohammed Al-Theyab 1st Vice-President Yoshihide Watanabe Vice-President Ali Mohamed Isa Eshaqi Sari Hamdan Ghanima Ms. Wang Tao Alireza Pakdel Secretary General Muhammad Shafiq Treasurer Faisal Baqer Council Member Ameen Al-Barwani Mohammed Julfar Chung Hyun-kyung Anandeshwar Panday Ahmed Riyadh Taleb Female Council Member Gulnara Turlykhanova Chairman of AHF COC Kang Jae-won Chairman of AHF PRC Saleh bin Ashour Chairman of AHF CCM Taiysir Mansi Chairman of AHF MC Katsuhiko Sakuma Chairman of AHF CPP Hassan bin Nasr Hilal Chairman of AHF MKC Mohammad Jaber Al-Mulla Chairman of AHF UDC Ismoiljon Matkhalikov Chairman of AHF CYSH Sombat Kuruphan Chairman of AHF AC Muhammad Amir Yousaf Chairman of AHF EC Mitra Noori ## Commissions The following are the AHF Commission members for the term 2025—2029. Commission Chairman Members AHF Commission of Organizing and Competition (COC) Kang Jae-won AHF Playing Rules and Referees Commission (PRC) Saleh bin Ashour AHF Commission of Coaching and Methods (CCM) Taiysir Mansi AHF Medical Commission (MC) Katsuhiko Sakuma AHF Promotion and Public Relations Commission (CPP) Hassan bin Nasr Hilal AHF Marketing Commission (MKC) Mohammad Jaber Al-Mulla AHF Under Development Countries Commission (UDC) Ismoiljon Matkhalikov AHF Commission of Youth and School Handball (CYSH) Sombat Kuruphan AHF Arbitration Commission (AC) Muhammad Amir Yousaf AHF Ethics Commission (EC) Ms. Mitra Noori AHF Women's Commission (WC) NA AHF Beach Handball Working Group (BHWG) NA ## Tournaments ### AHF - [Asian Men's Handball Championship](/source/Asian_Men's_Handball_Championship) - [Asian Women's Handball Championship](/source/Asian_Women's_Handball_Championship) - [Asian Men's Junior Handball Championship](/source/Asian_Men's_Junior_Handball_Championship) - [Asian Women's Junior Handball Championship](/source/Asian_Women's_Junior_Handball_Championship) - [Asian Men's Youth Handball Championship](/source/Asian_Men's_Youth_Handball_Championship) - [Asian Women's Youth Handball Championship](/source/Asian_Women's_Youth_Handball_Championship) - [Asian Games](/source/Handball_at_the_Asian_Games) - [Asian Youth Games](/source/Handball_at_the_Asian_Youth_Games) - [Asian Men's U-17 Handball Championship](/source/Asian_Men's_U-17_Handball_Championship) - [Asian Women's U-17 Handball Championship](/source/Asian_Women's_U-17_Handball_Championship) ### Club - [Asian Club League Handball Championship](/source/Asian_Club_League_Handball_Championship) - [Asian Women's Club League Handball Championship](/source/Asian_Women's_Club_League_Handball_Championship) ### Beach - [Asian Beach Handball Championship](/source/Asian_Beach_Handball_Championship) - [Asian Youth Beach Handball Championship](/source/Asian_Youth_Beach_Handball_Championship) - [Asian Beach Games](/source/Beach_handball_at_the_Asian_Beach_Games) ### Zones **West Asia** - [West Asian Women's Handball Championship](/source/West_Asian_Women's_Handball_Championship) - [West Asian Games](/source/West_Asian_Games#Handball) **South Asia** - [South Asian Men's Handball Championship](/source/South_Asian_Men's_Handball_Championship) - [South Asian Women's Handball Championship](/source/South_Asian_Women's_Handball_Championship) - [South Asian Games](/source/Handball_at_the_South_Asian_Games) **Southeast Asia** - [Southeast Asian Games](/source/Beach_handball_at_the_Southeast_Asian_Games) **East Asia** - [East Asian Games](/source/Handball_at_the_East_Asian_Games) ## Current champions Category Men's Women's Senior Handball Championship Bahrain (2026) (1) (2024) (2) Asian Games Qatar (2022) (3) (2022) (1) Junior Handball Championship (2024) (2) (2025) (1) Asian Youth Games (2025) (1*) (2025) (1*) Youth Handball Championship (2024) (1) (2025) (1) Beach Handball Championship (2025) (2) (2025) (3*) Asian Beach Games (2016) (3*) (2016) (1) Youth Beach Handball Championship (2022) (1*) (2022) (1*) Club Handball Championship Sharjah SC (2025) (1) Kaysar Club (2024) (3*) (Titles) (*) Record titles ## Disputes A dispute arises between the [International Handball Federation](/source/International_Handball_Federation) (IHF) and the AHF following a controversial decision to replace referees of opening match of Asian Men's Handball Qualification Tournament for the [2008 Summer Olympics](/source/2008_Summer_Olympics) between [Kuwait](/source/Kuwait_men's_national_handball_team) and [South Korea](/source/South_Korea_men's_national_handball_team) played on 1 September 2007 in [Toyota](/source/Toyota,_Aichi) ([Japan](/source/Japan)). AHF replaced experienced and IHF nominated [German](/source/Germany) referees Lemme and Ulrich with [Jordanian](/source/Jordan) referees Al-Shoubaki and Hirzallah, neither of whom stood on the list of IHF-qualified referees having "[IHF Status](/source/IHF_Referee's_Badge_of_Honour)", meaning that they had not completed the Global Referees Training Programme (GRTP), a program established by the IHF for the development of IHF-level referees. The Jordanian referee pair completely destroyed the South Korean team with more than 20 wrong decisions only in first half of the match which favoured the Kuwaiti team. IHF COC Chairman Aleksandr Kozhukhov ([Russia](/source/Russia)) who was appointed by IHF as supervisor for the event and member of AHF Technical Committee Khalaf Al-Enezi ([Kuwait](/source/Kuwait)) intervened into the matter at half-time of the match and asked the referees to be fair but the South Korean team nevertheless could not get the result in their own favour losing the match by 28–20. Later, on 17 December 2007, in an [IHF Council](/source/IHF_Council) meeting held in [Paris](/source/Paris) ([France](/source/France)), IHF decided not to approve the results of the event conduct by AHF and decided to replay both men's and women's events due to biased referee allegations. AHF objected against this decision and warned all the AHF member federations not to participate in the replay organised by IHF. Only South Korea and [Japan](/source/Japan) participated in the IHF replay and South Korea won both men's and women's matches. On February 5, 2008, AHF imposed a fine of $1000 on both the Japan and South Korea and banned them from participating in any event organised by AHF until the fine is paid.[2] When the matter becomes that complicated, both AHF and IHF mutually decided to took the case to [Court of Arbitration for Sport](/source/Court_of_Arbitration_for_Sport) (CAS) for decision. The [Kazakhstan Handball Federation](/source/Kazakhstan_Handball_Federation) and [Kuwait Handball Association](/source/Kuwait_Handball_Association) also want to become a party in the case but CAS refused their appeal. On 20 May 2008, after hearing all the parties, CAS decided to approve the result of IHF men's replay and also approved the AHF organised women's event results.[3] ## Members **First level** - [Bahrain](/source/Bahrain_Handball_Federation) - [China](/source/Chinese_Handball_Association) - [Iran](/source/Islamic_Republic_of_Iran_Handball_Federation) - [Iraq](/source/Iraqi_Handball_Federation) - [Japan](/source/Japan_Handball_Association) - [Kuwait](/source/Kuwait_Handball_Association) - [Qatar](/source/Qatar_Handball_Association) - [Saudi Arabia](/source/Saudi_Arabian_Handball_Federation) - [South Korea](/source/Korea_Handball_Federation) - [United Arab Emirates](/source/United_Arab_Emirates_Handball_Federation) - [Oman](/source/Oman_Handball_Association) **Second level** - [Chinese Taipei](/source/Chinese_Taipei_Handball_Association) - [Jordan](/source/Jordan_Handball_Federation) - [Kazakhstan](/source/Kazakhstan_Handball_Federation) - [Lebanon](/source/Lebanese_Handball_Federation) - [North Korea](/source/Handball_Association_of_the_DPR_Korea) - [Syria](/source/Syrian_Arab_Handball_Federation) - [Thailand](/source/Handball_Association_of_Thailand) **Third level** - [Afghanistan](/source/Afghanistan_Handball_Federation) - [Bangladesh](/source/Bangladesh_Handball_Federation) - [Bhutan](/source/Bhutan_Handball_Federation) ✝ - [Brunei](/source/Brunei_Handball_Federation) - [Cambodia](/source/Cambodian_Handball_Federation) - [East Timor](/source/East_Timor_Handball_Association) - [Hong Kong, China](/source/Handball_Association_of_Hong_Kong,_China) - [India](/source/Handball_Association_of_India) - [Indonesia](/source/Indonesia_Handball_Association) - [Kyrgyzstan](/source/Kyrgyzstan_Handball_Federation) - [Laos](/source/Laos_Handball_Federation) ✝ - [Macau China](/source/Macau-China_Handball_Association) - [Malaysia](/source/Malaysian_Handball_Federation) - [Maldives](/source/Maldives_Handball_Federation) - [Mongolia](/source/Mongolian_Handball_Federation) - [Nepal](/source/Nepal_Handball_Association) - [Pakistan](/source/Pakistan_Handball_Federation) - [Palestine](/source/Palestinian_Handball_Association) - [Philippines](/source/Philippine_Handball_Federation) - [Singapore](/source/Handball_Federation_Singapore) - [Sri Lanka](/source/Handball_Federation_of_Sri_Lanka) - [Tajikistan](/source/Tajikistan_Handball_Association) - [Turkmenistan](/source/Handball_Federation_of_Turkmenistan) - [Uzbekistan](/source/Handball_Federation_of_Uzbekistan) - [Vietnam](/source/Vietnam_Handball_Federation) - [Yemen](/source/Yemen_Handball_Association) - ✝ non-active member ## Sponsors - [Al-Kass Sports Channel](/source/Al-Kass_Sports_Channel) - [SK Group](/source/SK_Group) - [Molten Corporation](/source/Molten_Corporation) - [Gerflor](/source/Gerflor) ## References 1. ["AHF History"](https://asianhandball.org/history/). *Asian Handball Federation's Official Website*. Retrieved 10 March 2020. 1. ["Referee Questions for Handball and Badminton"](http://aroundtherings.com/site/A__26438/Title__Referee-Questions-for-Handball-and-Badminton/292/Articles). *www.aroundtherings.com*. Retrieved 2 August 2008. 1. ["Original decision of CAS"](https://jurisprudence.tas-cas.org/Shared%20Documents/1483.pdf). *www.tas-cas.org*. Retrieved 10 March 2020. ## External links - [Official website](https://www.asianhandball.org) (in English, Arabic) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Asian Handball Federation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_Handball_Federation) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_Handball_Federation?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.