The EHF President, Martin Gotheridge, announced on 26th June at the EHF Executive Board meeting in Dublin, Ireland that he would not be standing as a candidate at the upcoming 23rd General Assembly in Monchengladbach.
The President went on to say, “I have always done what I have believed to be in the best interest of European hockey. It has been my honour to serve, initially on the Competitions Committee and then as Vice-President and over the past 3 years as President of the Federation. I don’t believethat it is in the best interests of the EHF for a sitting President to stand in this election, so I have decided to withdraw my name. I believe that we have two fine candidates in Stephen Abel and Marijke Fleuren and I take this opportunity to wish them well, I am sure that European hockey will be in good hands under either candidate.
Looking back over the past years, I have many highlights. To choose some recent ones, I would say that being involved in the emergence of EHL (Euro Hockey League) and now seeing the EHCCC (EuroHockey Club Champions Cup) on the way to an EHL for women is really good news for European hockey and it was my immense honour to present the European Cup to my home country England at the EuroHockey Nations Championships in Amsterdam. Bearing this in mind it seems fitting that my last official duty will be as the EHF Representative at the EuroHockey Championships in Monchengladbach.”
Martin, a lawyer by profession, was first elected to the EHF Executive Board in Dublin in 1993. In 2003 he was elected to the office of Vice-President. In 2008, following the election of Leandro Negre as President of the International Hockey Federation and his subsequent resignation as EHF President Martin was appointed as President. In 2009 at the 21st General Assembly Martin was elected as President of the EHF for the remaining 2 years of Leandro’s term of office.
Martin, a former goalkeeper and umpire has not only served European Hockey, but has been involved in England Hockey in various capacities, including President of England Hockey.
The EHF Executive Board accepted Martin’s decision and thanked Martin for his exemplary and long-standing service to hockey and the EHF in particular.
Source: European Hockey Federation Media Release
