A member of the Brunei Handball
Federation, taking part in an
exhibition match to introduce
the sport to Brunei.The match took
place during the launching
of the Brunei Handball Federation
yesterday. Picture: Infofoto

His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah, the president of the Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council (BNOC) attended the official launching of the Brunei Handball Federation yesterday.

Organised by the Brunei Handball Federation, along with the cooperation of the Department of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, the launching was held at the Indoor Stadium of the Hassanal Bolkiah National Sports Complex in Berakas.

The event began with a welcoming speech by president of the federation, Col (rtd) Hamid Nayan. This was followed by the video showing of the introduction to the sport of handball.

The official launching was officiated by HRH Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah and saw the handover of the handballs sponsored by Dr Bernd Max Morast, the German ambassador to Brunei Darussalam to the Brunei Handball Federation.

The handball federation then gave a demonstration showcasing a match of handball to guests at yesterday's launch.

Meanwhile secretary of the Brunei Handball Federation Lt Col (rtd) Zainal Ariffin Zainuddin was thankful to the several organisations for their support and help to the federation.

"I would like to thank the Department of Youth and Sports and the German ambassador for helping out and thanks to the Department of Co-curriculum Education, MOE for helping out in introducing the sport to schools in Brunei," he said, as well as the Department of Youth and Sports.

"Our focus now is on coaching and refereeing, we need to get the coaches and the referees to play this game, so we might have to train our locals to go for coaching and refereeing training, and we are going to do this slowly and with much thought and preparation," stressed Lt Col (rtd) Zainal Ariffin.

"I would like to make sure that everything is prepared, in terms of training venues, coaching and equipment before we welcome the public to train with us," he added.

Despite being new to the Sultanate handball players currently train at the Multipurpose Hall, Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Sports Complex.

Courtesy from Brunei Times