It is with great and profound sadness that the International Handball Federation (IHF) has learnt of the passing of Bruno Montanari, the founder of Trial Srl, a friend of handball and a long-term partner, which has helped develop beach handball over the last decades.

Founded in 1984 by Mr. Montanari, Trial Srl has become a trailblazer in its area, forging a path to the position of global market leaders, while also helping the IHF create the best possible conditions for beach handball.

Over the last 39 years, Montanari’s company, based in Forli, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, has become the official ball manufacturer for the beach handball competitions organised under the aegis of the IHF, with his attention to detail and obsession of producing high-quality products rubbing on the company itself.

Mr. Montanari was a big part of the handball family, as he was not only the owner of Trial Srl, but also a huge fan of beach handball himself, lending a strong hand of developing the sport in the last decades.

The work completed by Mr. Montanari has definitely made a difference in the world of beach handball, with his memory being preserved in the history of the sport, as a huge innovator and a person which definitely left a legacy behind him.

On behalf of the IHF and the entire handball family, Dr Hassan Moustafa conveys the most sincere condolences to Bruno Montanari’s family and friends during this difficult moment.