Big Europe in small Monaco
Big Europe in small Monaco
Monaco is experiencing the most important days of its handball history. The tiny principality on the Mediterranean coast is hosting the 11th EHF Congress on 22 and 23 June 2012 and for several days Monte Carlo is becoming the capital of the European handball.
Five second decision
"We needed less than five seconds to apply for hosting this Congress at the extraordinary edition in Cologne last year. We were so amazed by the marvelous level of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 and we wanted to contribute to promotion of this sport in our country.
"And now we are very, very happy we can show we have the tools and the quality to organize an event like this congress," the President of the National Federation of Monaco Claude Cellario (pictured left) said adding he would not regret hosting this event every year.
The national "Federation Monegasque de handball" was established only in April 2006 and welcomed by the EHF family one month later, but handball in this country is far from its infancy.
The first and still working club - AS Monaco HB was founded more than fifty years ago in 1961 and although it started in the regional third-tier competition, within three years they managed to advance to the top flight of the Monaco’s big neighbour.
At present, AS competes in the amateur level of the French league structure but it has grown significantly in terms of members. The club boasts 220 members in all age categories with the youngest players starting at 4 years old and with no fewer than 21 nationalities recorded.
Royal involvement
AS Monaco also takes part in a cross-border project with six others clubs from neighbouring regions of France and Italy with more than 650 players involved.
After the recent success of the U16 team, which won the regional competition in France, the players received a "royal" reward when Princess Caroline of Monaco invited them to an audience.
For the third consecutive year Monaco will host the tournament of four best French teams (Trophée des Champions) in September in its arena Stade Louis II.
"At the first edition we had Prince Albert here, at the second he couldn´t come, but we had a live transmission of the tournament by Canal+ and during two days the matches were followed by 500,000 people.
And this year we will have not only the live TV coverage but also the Prince and his wife, the Princess Charlene. In addition we have our hall full with 4000 spectators visiting the matches in two days," the head of handball in Monaco revealed.
Former star helps
On the national level the country is hoping to create a team, which could join other smaller EHF members in a Challenge Trophy competition, but this is a herculean task for the second smallest country in the world with only 36.000 inhabitants.
"This is really difficult to achieve. We are closer to another dream - to build a professional team, which could play the top French competition and the VELUX EHF Champions League," Cellario admitted.
The bold plans to turn this dream into a reality have a great support. The former French star and the double world champion Jackson Richardson offered his help to the club two years ago and has been just re-elected to the executive committee of the club. "I also dream about hosting a match of France vs. Germany or Spain in our hall," the President stated.
Profile
Monaco has a coastline of 4.1 kilometers and a width of 1.7 km or 349 meters. The principality is a constitutional monarchy, with Prince Albert II as head of state. The House of Grimaldi have ruled Monaco, with brief interruptions, since 1297. The state's sovereignty was officially recognised by the Franco-Monegasque Treaty of 1861, with Monaco becoming a full UN voting member in 1993. Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with a railroad line to France, and the opening of the first casino, Monte Carlo Casino. In more recent years Monaco has become a major banking centre.
