Former Great Britain player, coach and British Handball Association (BHA) Chair, Paul Bray, has been appointed to the respected European Handball Federation (EHF) Expert Group.
The EHF Expert Group consists of a group of experts from inside and outside the world of handball which, in-turn, support the EHF Competence Academy & Network (CAN), a network which educates about all elements of the sport across Europe through seminars, workshops and working groups.
EHF Experts have the highest level of competence in their field of expertise and amongst other skills are able to share and present their knowledge to audiences in a clear and professional way that is easy to understand. Bray’s wide range of expertise within handball includes strategic planning, national federation governance and media, but he is perhaps best known as the widely-respected English voice of handball thanks to a 35-year career as a TV commentator which has seen him cover countless Olympic Games, IHF World Championships, EHF European Championships and a lot more.
He also has extensive experience in advocacy, government relations, media relations and strategic planning from a long professional career in the international energy sector.
Away from the microphone, Bray has a long association with British Handball, having been involved in a variety of capacities since 1982. He was responsible for drafting and overseeing the strategic plan to prepare the men’s and women’s Great Britain teams for the London 2012 Olympic Games, while in his role as Chair of the BHA – an organisation which he restructured – he was instrumental in re- establishing senior and age group Great Britain squads and securing UK Sport funding for the first time for a decade.
After serving the maximum eight-year term, Bray stepped down as BHA Chair in 2023, but has kept involved with handball. Along with his commentary career, he continues to advise the BHA in a voluntary role as well as working with both the International Handball Federation and at club level with his local side, West London Eagles.
Commenting on the appointment, Paul Bray said: “I’m honoured to have been appointed to the EHF Expert Group where I will be joining some
inspirational colleagues from across Europe. I cannot wait to get started and I look forward to sharing my experience with the handball family.”
British Handball Association Board member and England Handball CEO, Mike Bain, said: “We are delighted with Paul's appointment to the EHF Expert Group. The appointment is recognition for his extensive knowledge and experience across a wide range of activities, and also further acknowledgement of British Handball's progress and increased international visibility”.
