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The beginnings of Claude Onesta’s handball career can be traced back to 1968, when he played in the French youth leagues. His coaching career began in 1987. With time naturally came experience and Onesta has worked his way up to the top of his profession. He comes, in effect, full circle as he currently coaches Toulouse the very club where he began. Claude Onesta replaced Daniel Constantini in 2001. Under the tutelage of Onesta, the French national team acquired two additional World Championship bronze medals and in 2006 for the very first time; France added a European Championship Gold to their repertoire.

Joel Abati has created a name for himself in the right back position on the court. Since the age of 15, when he signed for the youth team of Espoirs de Floréal, he has devoted himself the sport. In 1995, at the age of 25, he was selected for the national team and has made over 150 appearances, scoring over 500 goals. Joel Abati, currently contracted to Montpellier HB, has an abundance of talent, for this he and his national team mates were rewarded with the World Championship Gold in 2001 and European Gold in 2006. All that remains to be collected is an Olympic Gold medal.

Thierry Omeyer began his professional handball career in 1994 and up until 2006 he played in his native France. At the beginning of the 2006/2007 season, he signed to THW Kiel, a move which netted the Frenchman three more top successes. Thierry made his international début in 1999 and since then has defended his national goal with more than 150 selections. In 2001, he was part of the national delegation that won the World Championship title and five years later he was voted best goalkeeper of the 2006 European Championship where he played a pivotal role in securing the European Championship title for France.

In 2002, Bertrand Gille was voted player of the year by handball fans across the globe. The illustrious career of Bertrand, who has also been named Best Pivot at a WCh (2001), began in 1984 when he signed to HBC Loriol where he stayed for over a decade. He then signed to Chambéry in 1996, and in the six years spent with this club he honed his handballing skills. His first appearance for the national team took place in 1997 against the Czech Republic. And in ten years he has appeared for his national team on over 200 outings and scored over 600 goals.