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IHF mourns passing of Andy Mezey

30 Oct. 2020

IHF mourns passing of Andy Mezey

It is with great sadness that the International Handball Federation (IHF) has learnt of the passing of Andy Mezey.

The former Hungarian national team player, Mezey was affectionately known as the ‘Father of Canadian Handball’ after his ground-breaking work with handball in the North American country.

At the age of 25, Mezey formed two teams with fellow immigrants in Canada and started to play regularly in a Montreal district park. Its popularity grew, and an inter-provincial series was quickly organised with games attended by up to 500 fans.

In 1960, he formed the first North American club competition and subsequently helped create both the Canadian Federation of Olympic Handball – now called the Canadian Team Handball Federation, and which became an IHF member in 1962 – and the Fédération Québécoise de Handball Olympique (FQHQ), both of which he served as president across a number of years on different occasions. 

He was also President of the former Pan American Team Handball Federation, the forerunner to the South and Central American Handball Confederation and North America and the Caribbean Handball Confederation. 

In addition to his organisational roles and playing career, he also coached the game at a number of levels, and wrote a number of handball books, including ‘Handball Illustrated Rule Book’ and ‘Modern Team Handball: Beginner to Expert’, in the mid-1970s – his thirst to expand the reach and knowledge of handball in Canada knew no boundaries.

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“On behalf of the Fédération Québécoise de Handball Olympique, all our members and alumni, we thank Andy Mezey for having left us a legacy of this fabulous sport which is handball,” said Roger Naoum, FQHQ President. “Now is the time to rest with the feeling of accomplishment. Goodbye Andy.”

On behalf of the IHF and the global handball family, IHF President Dr Hassan Moustafa would like to offer his deepest and sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Andy Mezey and everyone who knew and worked with him.

PHOTOS: Fédération Québécoise de Handball Olympique