If there's one collective discipline that stands out in Benin today, it's handball. The reforms underway in the sector are already bearing fruit, and those involved are determined to continue the process.
The results of the 2022-2023 sports season have confirmed the rise of Beninese handball. Adjidja HBC, Benin's representative at the 44th African Champion Clubs Handball Championship, made it three wins out of three in the first round, before reaching the quarter-finals. On their return from Brazzaville, the Militaires won the championship over Flowers CNSS in the final (28-27). In the women's category, Flowers also retained their title after defeating ASPAC (29-24).
"The level was very high in the professional league. There wasn't a monopoly, there were at least four teams, where every match was a match for everyone," confides Hervé Sossoukpe, coach of Flowers CNSS Dames. The clubs in the championship are gradually moving up, and the championship is becoming more competitive, adds Mathieu Dako, coach of Adjidja HBC. "What's happening between these three teams, Aspac, Flowers and Adidja, in both men's and women's competitions, shows that the level today is of high quality, and it's high. There's also Buffles du Borgou to be reckoned with. The gap is not too big. The teams that need to work to get to this level are perhaps Abo Sport and Assec."
More competitions for athletes
The elective general meeting in September 2021, which brought former player and businessman Sidikou Karimou to the helm of the Benin Handball Federation, marked the beginning of the revival of the sport. The new team is committed to creating a wide range of competitions to enable players to develop their game to the full.In addition to the professional and amateur championships, the Independence Cup has been revived. According to Mathieu Dako, this policy is beneficial for Beninese handball."This year, we've been given many more play-off competitions than in previous years.And even in the second phase, we had a lot more competitions than the other phases. I think it's the quantity of competitions that ultimately raises the level of the teams. The competition between the teams means that today, everyone fights and trains to beat the other. The final between Flowers and Adidja was not a final for the faint-hearted," says the coach.
"We're working according to well-defined plans with the help of all the players".
In Benin, the executive committee is working to create an environment conducive to the emergence and development of talent. It's a vast undertaking," explains Serge Akakpo, first vice-president of the FBHB. "It involves training all those involved (sports managers, coaches, referees, technical delegates, players, etc.). Then there's the organization put in place and also the structuring of actions. All regions are interested in the discipline, which is enjoying unparalleled popularity. Nothing is done by guesswork any more, but we work according to well-defined plans with the help of all the players involved. The ultimate goal is to build a handball that shines and is capable of performing at both national and international level", he declares.
In Benin's sporting sphere, it is now a fact that the handball federation is the one that attracts the most sponsors and partners. This new wind of change benefits both the federation and the players at grassroots level."The reforms are welcome and have brought a lot of resources to the development of handball and its practice. Even in the amateur sector, we're seeing the same type of organization, with sponsors available to support the federation," says the Adjidja coach, who is aiming to take his team "past the quarter-final stage" in the forthcoming African campaign.
What about the national teams?
The final phase of the national cadet and junior championships is scheduled for December 16-28, 2023. Shortly before this, the federation entered the various national age-group selections in international competitions. Benin took part in the IHF Challenge Trophy Zone 3 in Men's and Women's and the Nantes International Handball Cup."We now regularly attend age-group competitions, which are very lively.There's never a reform without a deficiency.As time goes by, they'll find solutions. And when that happens, people will find opportunities to build a good national team tomorrow", says Éric Ahossou, a player at Flowers CNSS. The national team project remains a challenge for the federation. While the senior teams have been relaunched, the newly-formed women's team will be taking part in the ANOCA Games from December 4 to 10, 2023 in Lomé.
The federation's next projects
In line with its development program, the federation has set itself a number of objectives for the coming years."We'll be encouraging the creation and affiliation of new clubs, with a view to increasing the number of members. We also need to create new challenges. Another important project is to ensure our regular presence in African competitions, both with our clubs and our national teams.We will also be working to develop beach handball. To achieve this, we need to create new technical and financial partnerships", explained the body's first vice-president.
