Installed since September at the head of the Directory which manages Algerian handball, the former glory of the 80s, Abdelkrim Bendjemil gave an exclusive interview with LGDF.He approaches with us the situation of the little Algerian ball, the reasons which pushes him to be in this uncomfortable seat, the national 7, women's handball and that of young categories.

LGDF: Everyone knows the player but nobody knows the manager.What was your leader's journey?

When I came back from Europe I wanted to convey my knowledge to young people in Oran as we did for me.As everything was blocked, I created with other former players a club in my old neighborhood, AS Castors.I have been president of this club for 11 years, we gleaned national trophies, especially with the teams of young women.

Today you are one of the officials of the board, it is the assembly that manages Algerian handball.Can you explain to us what is this management board?

Everyone knows what happened in September with the suspension of the president of the federation by the Minister of Youth of Sport.At that time we called me, to lead a management board with two other colleagues who have had the function on several occasions as president of the federation.We have been working on order in the federation for two months.When we took possession of the premises, we found a catastrophic management.For example there were a lot of unpaid bills (water, electricity, etc.).We worked in hellish conditions, we didn't even have a telephone line since it was cut for unpaid.So we set out to solve all these financial and administrative problems.

Excuse me Mr. Bendjemil, I do not understand why there were invoices to pay since the Handball Federation had subsidies from the ministry in order to overcome all of this.Do you have any explanations to give us?

This is all the problem today.We are trying to know why simple telephone bills are not paid.We seek to know why there are so many debts, beyond the invoices that are normal, at the Federation.It is not up to me to judge the former president, to settle accounts with people.His file is at the level of the court and it is all the better like that.We called on me out of love of discipline and the country.I am not paid, I left my family in Oran and I work in Algiers all week.By my experience, we called me, in order to put the federation back on track and not to solve problems with people.It is not my intention.

The MJS asked for an investigation against the former president, do you know where we are?

In detail no, all I know is that the file is in investigation in court.That's all I know.

Why did the minister choose you to manage this board and above all be at the post to manage Algerian handball?

(Laughs) - Well it's a bit complex to answer, but here I have heard that the minister had a list of names, and that he chose me because I am honest and I do not hang outpots.

This may seem like a trivial question and which can make people laugh, but we can legitimately ask the question, why did the Minister choose you and not another, while, to my knowledge, you did notNo experience in federal bodies.

Yes indeed I have never been in a federal body.But which does not mean that I cannot manage such an administration.Especially since I am surrounded by experienced people who already have this experience.Until today, we manage the federation very well.We have already organized the Algeria Supercup, which allowed clubs to play the Arabic club Cup.Without money, since our accounts were blocked.We managed to organize this competition after only 15 days.Besides, I would like to thank the organizing committee of the Mediterranean Games, in Oran, which helped us a lot.

Who manages the Management Board?Who makes the final decisions?

These are college decisions.I don't make a decision on my own.All decisions made, we make them in strict legality.We remain in our role of the Management Board.For example, for the start of the women's championship, it is a consultation between members of the office.But it is true, there are times times decisions that I make myself, but that has never posed any problems.

Mr. Labane was recently elected advisor to the African Handball Confederation (CAHB), while he is suspended in Algeria.Do you not find it abnormal?

This is a mistake on his part.In order to be elected within the Confederation, he had to be mandated by the Federation.Which is not the case.I would even add that it had to have the green light from the ministry.We made a detailed report from his situation at the CAHB to ask for explanations and we are waiting for his return.It was an elective assembly that was to take place in Turkey.Finally it took place in videoconferencing.We wrote and called the CAHB, leaving messages, but we had no answer.Then we heard and read that Mr. Labane participated in this election and was elected.We asked how was the candidacy of Mr. Labane and why was the Algerian federation not aware.Until today, we are still waiting for their response.

The Management Board was appointed for three months.His date is soon due, is a renewal of the Management Board on the agenda?

We have received the order of the ministry in order to renew the Management Board until the implementation of an elective assembly.He will surely be expanded by a greater number of people because we have to take the female championship soon.So it will take an arbitration committee, an organization commission of the cuts.We are going to work for the constitution of these commissions.

When do you plan to return to a normal situation with an elected federation to direct Algerian handball?

For the moment we do not know, the file is still in the hands of the ministry.It is he who will decide the date of the establishment of an elective assembly.

The 2019-2020 Algerian Cup will soon resume.Why did we not cancel this competition and start on healthy bases with that of 2021-2022, as is done elsewhere?

Simply to give team time to the teams.They were so much in a mute, without competition, that we decided to give them playing time by taking up this 2019-2020 competition.It's been two years now that they did not face each other.There are still problems on the resumption of the male championship, if it takes 25 or 16 clubs (see at the end of the interview the decisions taken during post -maintenance meetings with Mr. Bendjemil).For girls we will soon take over the championship on December 24.

When was it all decided?

There was a technical meeting between the sports directors of each club and the management board, this Tuesday, November 23.During this meeting, there was a discussion concerning the covers of the championships.As there was still time until the resumption, the clubs asked us to take over this Algerian Cup where it stopped, that is to say in the round of 16 for men and quarter-final forthe women.

The national championships, men or women, did not resume.The players are disappointed, at best, some have left Algeria (the best), at worst, they have stopped their careers to devote themselves to supporting their families, what message, today, the chairman of the board can launch themIn order to stop this hemorrhage of loss of talent?

Yes of course I heard their heart cry.I was handball player and I know their discomfort.It hurts my heart to see them in this situation.First there was the health crisis where the whole country stopped, the sport included.For handball, the championship was arrested by the Ministry of Health, as well as that of sports.The following situation was very poorly managed, and that is why I want to take back the different championships as quickly as possible so that these players are paid since handball is their work.I understand them, I have a heartache for them.

There are players of the national team who do not understand why we put the team on standby while in football, despite the stopping of the championships, the national teams continued to operate.What is your feeling ?

The concern was directly linked to the relationship between the coach, Alain Portes, and the former president of the federation.We recently knew that the coach was led by boat.In addition to unpaid salary arrears, the coach did not want to come back.He said it himself.The situation was very complicated to work in selection.Now what should we do?Still stay in this situation or move forward?My wish is to leave very quickly, set up a technical staff for both boys and girls.Besides, it's not just the senior selections, there is also for young selections.For example, the U18 girls have an African championship in February, in Guinea, and the U17 boys have an Arab cup in December.I do not know if the latter, which will be played in Iraq, will be played, offbeat or relocated, but you have to prepare for it.

The big meeting is for the national team with the African championship which will take place in Morocco.We still do not know if the national seven will compete or not this CAN.Can you tell us where the situation is?

You know the problem of this situation.This African Cup is planned to play in Laayoun.We are against this and the file is being set up at the level of Algerian bodies.I still have no echoes concerning this.My wish is that this championship is offset in order to be relocated and that we can play it elsewhere.But this is just the wishes of Abdelkrim Bendjemil nothing else.Today I don't know if the situation has evolved or not.

Many supporters and handballers are very pessimistic about this situation.One or two years ago, Algeria had protested the organization of the African Cup of Futsal in Western Sahara.Despite this, the competition still took place.With the current situation and relations with Morocco, we do not see how it could change.The consequences on a non -participation of Algeria are very serious for the future of Algerian handball in general and the national team in particular.What is your opinion on this?

Yes I understand very well that we could have unfortunate consequences and could be punished.The problem is that it is a file that I do not master.The file is very well dealt with by the Ministry of Youth and Sports.I can't go back on what is going to happen.What I know is that he is in good hands.That's all I can say today.

The national women's team has been stopped for over three years, the other female teams are only figuration.Despite everything, lately in the Arab Cup, the El Biar club arrived in the final.What is the gaze of Abdelkrim Bendjemil on female handball?

It is generally female sport in Algeria that is abandoned.We group together the women's teams only for a month, a month and a half for a competition, then we drop them.There is no long -term work.For my part I was called to coach the women's team in 2018, for CAN in Congo.I had asked that I work in the long term to prepare a team to the Mediterranean games of 2022.An agreement had been reached, but as soon as the competition ended, we ended my functions.This is what happens in general.There is no long -term work.Then we ask for results.It's absurd, it is not possible to arrive at an acceptable level for these teams when you work like that.These teams, female or male, should be continuously in internship.There is a lot of talent in Algeria, but physically we are very far from other teams.As we are not on an internship regularly, we do not meet teams to progress.I was in charge of the U17 and U19, we participated in the Mediterranean Games.We met the Italians, the Spanish, even the Turks.It was another level.Despite the talent of the Algerians we did not make the weight.In France for example, they are continuously on an internship.They work in poles.They are always together and they constantly repeat gestures to progress.Ours do not play almost never, you have to go to tournaments, such as Mediterranean games, to see foreign players.It is time to take care of the teams of young people, women or male.Surely handball seats.Go see clubs to find out how they work, in what facilities and under what conditions.What is certain is that you have to put the means in order to advance the young person before thinking of any medal or trophy.Talent exists, it must now be used by improving game conditions.The El Biar club is the perfect example, despite a lack of competition, they were equal to the Tunisian women and they finished 2nd in the Arab championship.On the other hand we saw the limits in boys, Skikda and Saoura have not held physically for lack of competition for two years.

This contradicts a little what you said during an interview with Algerian TV, in which you say that 80 % of the number of the national team play abroad so we can now go to the Cup ofAfrica even if the preparation is not adequate.It shocked some.What do you answer them?

No, do not mix everything.I was asked a specific question compared to the fact, if one could claim a third place at the next African Cup.This is where I said, with the workforce we have, playing 80 % abroad, yes, we can claim this place.These are players who play at a high level, regularly, every week 1 or 2 games, so yes for me, we can claim this third place.But in no case do I claim that we can go there without preparation.For such a competition, it is absolutely necessary internships and preparation matches.In addition, we are talking about Algeria.I cannot say by speaking of the Algerian Handball team, whether we are going to finish 10th or 11th.You have to be reasonable.This is the opinion of Bendjemil and not of the Management Board.

Where are we with the problem of Alain Portes?In an interview, he denounced many lies from the federation.

Alain Portes is a person I know, I played against him.He also knows me very well.There is no problem between him and me, we respect ourselves.I got it on the phone, compared to his situation.I'm going to ask for all his papers, because when I took up my duties at the Management Board, I had nothing of his file.Whether he is where Tahar Labane, they sent us their documents in order to regularize everything.But in Algeria, this does not happen as elsewhere.The administrative machine is slow, especially when you have to send money abroad.We have just finalized his file, and we work with the Ministry of Youth and Sports in order to send him his arrears.He has eight months left for her, we're going to pay him, there is no problem.

Could we envisage that he could resume service with the Greens?

Nope.Whether on his side or of ours, everything is finished.He said he himself that he will not come back.

By staying in financial problems, there are also players who always ask for their allowances from previous CAN or World Cup tournaments.

This problem has been solved.The players received their compensation.The ministry had promised them a bonus for the last African Cup, they all fired their premiums last week, on their bank accounts.

A final word for supporters of the National Seven?

They have to keep hope.My most expensive wish and that Algerian handball returns in its glory time, whether in the 90s or 2000s.I want to review this national 7 on the highest step to take medals or African cups, participate in world championships.I am handball player so I am in love with this discipline.So I would always like to see the national team playing the leading roles.Inch’Allah the state is looking at the problem of handball so that it comes out of its slump.Thank you all.

NB : Finalement lors d’une 2^ème réunion qui s’est déroulée le 24 novembre, décision prise le 26 novembre – juste après cette interview – le championnat commencera avec une 1^ère phase qualification à 25 clubs (5 groupes de 5).The first 3 of each pool and the best 4th will be qualified for the 16 team championship.A decision will be made, during the meeting of the Management Board of December 8, to rule on the 9 teams eliminated.

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