THE GAME OF HANDBALL

SCORING

VALUE OF HANDBALL

THE THROW IN

THE PLAYING COURT AND THE GOALS

THE CORNER THROW

THE BALL

THE GOALKEEPER THROW

THE PLAYERS

THE THROW OFF

PLAYING THE BALL

THE FREE THROW

APPROACH TO THE OPPONENT

THE PENALTY THROW

THE GOALKEEPER

TAKING THE THROWS

THE GOAL AREA

THE REFEREE'S THROW

THE GAME OF HANDBALL

Handball, probably still better known as European or Olympic Handball, is a team game plyed on a rectangular court.  Two teams play against each other.  A leather ball is passed around by hands and has to be thrown into soccer like goals from outside a semicircular goal area.  A goalkeeper is defending thte goal and he is the only player allowed to be in the respective goal area.  Each goal scored is worth one poin t, and the team with the greater number of goals thrown at the end of the game is the winner.  After each goal the game restarts, the same way as at the beginning of each half, with a throw-off in the center of the court.

Although the hands are mainly used to play the ball, the players are allowed to use any other part of their body down to and including the knees.  The goalkeeper can also use their lower legs and feet to execute his saves.

The ball may be held for a maximum of three seconds and no more than three steps can be taken while holding the ball.  The ball can also be bounced continuously with one hand while standing or running.

Modern handball is regarded as one of the fastest team ball games.  Perhaps this is the reason why it is so popular all over the world and over one hundred and forty conuntries are now affiliated with the International Federation.

VALUE OF HANDBALL

The concept of Handball is simple and the game combines all advantages of team sports that require ball skills, quick physical reactions, mental flexibility, fair play, and team work.

The outstanding quality of the game would be the fact that it involves the total human body. Since running, jumping and throwing, the tree basic human movements are also the fundamentals of Handball. Therefore, by practicing or playing Handball, the players exercise and improve all major systems of their body.  Furthermore because the game is played using hands, humans most natural and sophisticated 'gripping' tool, it becomes fast, varied and exciting.

THE PLAYING COURT AND THE GOALS

THE BALL

The ball is spherical and made of leather or synthetic material.  Officially it should have a circumference 58-60 cm and weigh 425-475 grams for men.  For women and juniors it should measure 54-56 cm and weigh 325-400 grams.

(For younger students in the school environment an appropriately smaller softer ball should be used.)

THE PLAYERS

A team consists of a maximum of 12 players.  No more than 7 players (6 court players and 1 goalkeeper) shall be present on the court at the same time.  The remaining players shall be substitutes.

Substitutes can enter the game at any time, provided that the player being replaced has actually left the court and the substitution takes place in the appropriate area (i.e. within 4.5 m of the centre line on their side of the court).  This also applies to goalkeepers.

Bracelets, watches, rings, necklaces or any other item that could be dangerous to the players are prohibited.  In official matches the goalkeepers uniform shall be clearly distinguished from the uniform of both teams and opposing goalkeeper.

PLAYING THE BALL

A player is permitted to:

• Stop, catch, hit or throw the ball with their hands (open or closed), arms, head, torso, thighs, and knees.
• Hold the ball for a maximum of three (3) seconds.
• Take a maximum of three (3) steps while holding the ball.
• Bounce the ball on the spot or while running once or several times.  As soon as the ball is held again in one (1) or two (2) hands, it must be played within 3 seconds and after no more than three (3) steps.
• Play the ball while kneeling sitting or laying on the ground.

A player is NOT permitted to:

• Touch the ball more than once, unless it has touched the ground, another player or part of the goal in between.
• Touch the ball with any part of the leg below the knee.
• Throw the ball intentionally over the sidelines or the goal line outside their own goal.
• Keep the ball in the teams' possession without making a recognizable attempt to attack or shoot a goal.  This is regarded as passive play and leads to a free throw to the defending team.

APPROACH TO THE OPPONENT

A player is permitted to:

• Use arms and hands to block or gain possession of the ball.
• Use an open hand to play the ball away from an opponent from any direction.
• Use the body to obstruct an opponent, even when not in possession of the ball.
• Make body contact with an opponent, when facing them and with bent arms, and maintain this contact in order to monitor and follow the opponent.

A player is NOT permitted to:

• Pull or hit the ball out of the hand of an opponent.
• Block or force away an opponent with arms, hands or legs.
• Restrain holds, push, run or jump into an opponent.
• Otherwise impede, obstruct or endanger an opponent (with or without the ball) in contravention of the rules.

THE GOALKEEPER

Is permitted to:

• Touch the ball with any part of his body, when in the act of defense in his own goal area.
• Move around with the ball inside the goal area without any restrictions.
• Leave the goal area without the ball and particpate in the game in the playing area; when doing so, the goal keeper becomes subject to the rules applying to court player; the goal keeper is considered to hale left the goal area as soon as any part of his body touches the floor outside the goal area line.
• Leave the goal area with the ball and play it again in the playing area if they have not managed to control it fully.

Is NOT permitted to:

• Endanger an opponent while in the act of defense.
• Play the ball intentionally over the outer goal line, after controlling the ball.
• Leave the goal area with the ball under control.
• Touch the ball when it is stationary or rolling on the floor outside the goal area, while they are inside the goal area.
• Take the ball into the goal area when it is stationary or rolling on the floor outside the goal area.
• Re-enter the goal area from the playing area with the ball.
• Touch the ball with the foot or leg below the knee, when it is stationary on the floor or moving out towards the playing area.

THE GOAL AREA

The goal area, including the goal area line belongs to the goalkeeper and may not be entered by court players.  A court player, who ends up in the goal area after having the ball, shall not be penalized, unless they cause a disadvantage to the opponent.

SCORING

A goal is being scored, when the whole of the ball has crossed the goal line between the goal posts and under the crossbar, provided the scoring player or their team has commited no infringement of the rules.

THE THROW-IN

A throw in is awared when the ball has completely crossed the sideline.  The team whose players were not the last to touch the ball before it crossed the line takes the throw-in.  The player taking the throw must have one foot on the sideline where the ball had crossed the line.

THE CORNER THROW

A corner-throw is awarded when a ball that crosses the goal line outside the goal was last touched by a player of the defending team, but not by the goalkeeper.

THE GOAL KEEPER THROW

A goal keeper throw is awarded when the ball crosses the goal line outside the goal, or when the ball comes to a rest in the goal area.

THE THROW OFF

For the throw-off, all players must be in their own halves, with the opponents at least three (3) meters from the ball.  A throw off is taken at the beginning of each half and after a goal has been scored by the team conceding the goal.

THE FREE THROW

A free throw is awarded for any infringment of the rules as explained in the previous sections.  The free throw is taken where the infringement occurred unless it is between the goal area line and the free throw line of the attacking team.  The free throw is taken on the free throw line.

Players of the attacking team must remain outside their opponents free-throw line until the free throw has been taken.

THE PENALTY THROW

A pentalty throw shall be awarded:

• When an infringement anywhere on the court prevents a clear chance of scoring.
• When a goalkeeper enters his goal area with the ball or takes it into the goal area.
• When a court player enters his own goal area to gain advantage over an attacking player who has possession of the ball.
• When a court player intentionally plays the ball to his own goalkeeper in his goal area.

TAKING THE THROWS

• The player taking the throw must have the ball resting in one hand and must have one foot firmly set on the ground. (Except for goal throw)
• The referee must give a whistle signal for the throw-off and penalty throw, and form any other throw if the player taking the throw unduly delays the throw.  After the whistle the player must take their throw within three (3) seconds.  All oponents have to be three (3) meters away from the player taking the throw.
• A goal may be scored direct from any throw.
• The player taking the throw must not touch the ball again until it has touched another player or the goal.

THE REFEREE'S THROW

A referee throw takes place if;

• Both teams infringe the rules simultaneously.
• The ball touches the ceiling or any other equipment above the playing court.