Topic: Handball

Handball (also known as team handball, European handball or Olympic handball) is a team sport
in which two teams of seven players each (six outcourt players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball
using their hands with the aim of throwing it into the goal of the other team. A standard match
consists of two periods of 30 minutes, and the team that scores more goals wins.

Modern handball is played on a court of 40 by 20 metres (131 by 66 ft), with a goal in the middle
of each end. The goals are surrounded by a 6-meter (20 ft) zone where only the defending
goalkeeper is allowed; goals must be scored by throwing the ball from outside the zone or while
"diving" into it. The sport is usually played indoors, but outdoor variants exist in the forms of
field handball, Czech handball (which were more common in the past) and beach handball. The
game is fast and high-scoring: professional teams now typically score between 20 and 35 goals
each, though lower scores were not uncommon until a few decades ago. Players may score hat
tricks. Body contact is permitted for the defenders trying to stop the attackers from approaching
the goal. No protective equipment is mandated, but players may wear soft protective bands, pads
and mouth guards.The game was codified at the end of the 19th century in Denmark. The
modern set of rules was published on 29 October 1917 in Berlin, which is seen as the date of
birth of the sport, and had several revisions since. The first official handball match was played in
the same year in Germany. The first international games were played under these rules for men
in 1925 and for women in 1930. Men's handball was first played at the 1936 Summer Olympics
in Berlin as outdoors, and the next time at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich as indoors, and
has been an Olympic sport since. Women's team handball was added at the 1976 Summer
Olympics.

The International Handball Federation was formed in 1946 and, as of 2016, has 197 member
federations. The sport is most popular in Europe, and European countries have won all medals
but one in the men's world championships since 1938. In the women's world championships,
only two non-European countries have won the title: South Korea and Brazil. The game also
enjoys popularity in East Asia, North Africa and parts of South America.

Origins and development

Games similar to handball were played in Ancient Greece and are represented on amphorae and
stone carvings. Although detailed textual reference is rare, there are numerous descriptions of
ball games being played where players throw the ball to one another; sometimes this is done in
order to avoid interception by a player on the opposing team. Such games were played widely
and served as both a form of exercise and a social event.There is evidence of ancient Roman
women playing a version of handball called expulsim luderecode: lat promoted to code: la .
There are records of handball-like games in medieval France, and among the Inuit in Greenland,
in the Middle Ages. By the 19th century, there existed similar games of håndbold from Denmark,
házená in the Czech Republic, handbol in Ukraine, and torball in Germany.The team handball
game of today was codified at the end of the 19th century in northern Europe: primarily in
Denmark, Germany, Norway and Sweden. The first written set of team handball rules was
published in 1906 by the Danish gym teacher, lieutenant and Olympic medalist Holger Nielsen
from Ordrup grammar school, north of Copenhagen. The modern set of rules was published on
29 October 1917 by Max Heiser, Karl Schelenz, and Erich Konigh from Berlin, Germany; this
day is therefore seen as the "date of birth" of the sport. The first ever official handball match was
played on 2 December 1917 in Berlin. After 1919 the rules were improved by Karl Schelenz.
The first international games were played under these rules, between Germany and Austria by
men in 1925 and between Germany and Austria by women in 1930.

In 1926, the Congress of the International Amateur Athletics Federation nominated a committee
to draw up international rules for field handball. The International Amateur Handball Federation
was formed in 1928 and later the International Handball Federation was formed in 1946.

Men's field handball was played at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. During the next
several decades, indoor handball flourished and evolved in the Scandinavian countries. The sport
re-emerged onto the world stage as team handball for the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich.
Women's team handball was added at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Due to its
popularity in the region, the Eastern European countries that refined the event became the
dominant force in the sport when it was reintroduced.

The International Handball Federation organised the men's world championship in 1938 and
every four (sometimes three) years from World War II to 1995. Since the 1995 world
championship in Iceland, the competition has been held every two years. The women's world
championship has been held since 1957. The IHF also organizes women's and men's junior world
championships. By July 2009, the IHF listed 166 member federations - approximately 795,000
teams and 19 million players.

Rules
The rules are laid out in the IHF's set of rules.

Summary

Two teams of seven players (six court players plus one goalkeeper) take the court and attempt to
score points by putting the game ball into the opposing team's goal. In handling the ball, players
are subject to the following restrictions:

After receiving the ball, players can pass, keep possession, or shoot the ball.

Players are not allowed to touch the ball with their feet, the goalkeeper is the only one allowed to
use their feet but only within the goal area

If possessing the ball, players must dribble (not similar to a basketball dribble), or can take up to
three steps for up to three seconds at a time without dribbling.

No attacking or defending players other than the defending goalkeeper are allowed to touch the
floor of the goal area (within six metres of the goal). A shot or pass in the goal area is valid if
completed before touching the floor. Goalkeepers are allowed outside the goal area, but are not
allowed to cross the goal area boundary with the ball in their hands.

The ball may not be passed back to the goalkeeper when they are positioned in the goal
area.Notable scoring opportunities can occur when attacking players jump into the goal area. For
example, an attacking player may catch a pass while launching inside the goal area, and then
shoot or pass before touching the floor. Doubling occurs when a diving attacking player passes to
another diving teammate.

Playing court

Handball is played on a court 40 by 20 metres (131 ft 3 in × 65 ft 7 in), with a goal in the centre
of each end. The goals are surrounded by a near-semicircular area, called the zone or the crease,
defined by a line six meters from the goal. A dashed near-semicircular line nine metres from the
goal marks the free-throw line. Each line on the court is part of the area it encompasses. This
implies that the middle line belongs to both halves at the same time.

Goals

The goals are two meters high and three meters wide. They must be securely bolted either to the
floor or the wall behind.

The goal posts and the crossbar must be made out of the same material (e.g., wood or
aluminium) and feature a quadratic cross section with sides of 8 cm (3 in). The three sides of the
beams visible from the playing court must be painted alternatingly in two contrasting colors
which both have to contrast against the background. The colors on both goals must be the same.

Each goal must feature a net. This must be fastened in such a way that a ball thrown into the goal
does not leave or pass the goal under normal circumstances. If necessary, a second net may be
clasped to the back of the net on the inside.

Crease

The goals are surrounded by the crease, also called the zone. This area is delineated by two
quarter circles with a radius of six metres around the far corners of each goal post and a
connecting line parallel to the goal line. Only the defending goalkeeper is allowed inside this
zone. However, court players may catch and touch the ball in the air within it as long as the
player starts their jump outside the zone and releases the ball before they land (landing inside the
perimeter is allowed in this case as long as the ball has been released).

If a player without the ball contacts the ground inside the goal perimeter, or the line surrounding
the perimeter, they must take the most direct path out of it. However, should a player cross the
zone in an attempt to gain an advantage (e.g., better position) their team cedes the ball. Similarly,
violation of the zone by a defending player is penalized only if they do so in order to gain an
advantage in defending.
Substitution area

Outside of one long edge of the court to both sides of the middle line are the substitution areas
for each team. Team officials, substitutes, and suspended players must wait within this area. A
team's area is the same side as the goal the team is defending; during halftime, substitution areas
are swapped. Any player entering or leaving the play must cross the substitution line which is
part of the side line and extends 4.5 metres (15 ft) from the middle line to the team's side.

Duration

A standard match has two 30-minute halves with a 10- or 15-minute (major
Championships/Olympics) halftime intermission. At half-time, teams switch sides of the court as
well as benches. For youths, the length of the halves is reduced—25 minutes at ages 12 to 15,
and 20 minutes at ages 8 to 11; though national federations of some countries may differ in their
implementation from the official guidelines.If a decision must be reached in a particular match
(e.g., in a tournament) and it ends in a draw after regular time, there are at maximum two
overtimes, each consisting of two straight 5-minute periods with a one-minute break in between.
Should these not decide the game either, the winning team is determined in a penalty shootout
(best-of-five rounds; if still tied, extra rounds are added until one team wins).

The referees may call timeout according to their sole discretion; typical reasons are injuries,
suspensions, or court cleaning. Penalty throws should trigger a timeout only for lengthy delays,
such as a change of the goalkeeper.

Since 2012, teams can call 3 team timeouts per game (up to two per half), which last one minute
each. This right may only be invoked by the team in possession of the ball. Team representatives
must show a green card marked with a black T on the timekeeper's desk. The timekeeper then
immediately interrupts the game by sounding an acoustic signal to stop the clock. Before 2012,
teams were allowed only one timeout per half. For the purpose of calling timeouts, overtime and
shootouts are extensions of the second half.

Referees

A handball match is adjudicated by two equal referees. Some national bodies allow games with
only a single referee in special cases like illness on short notice. Should the referees disagree on
any occasion, a decision is made on mutual agreement during a short timeout; or, in case of
punishments, the more severe of the two comes into effect. The referees are obliged to make
their decisions "on the basis of their observations of facts". Their judgements are final and can be
appealed against only if not in compliance with the rules.

The referees position themselves in such a way that the team players are confined between them.
They stand diagonally aligned so that each can observe one side line. Depending on their
positions, one is called court referee and the other goal referee. These positions automatically
switch on ball turnover. They physically exchange their positions approximately every 10
minutes (long exchange), and change sides every five minutes (short exchange).
The IHF defines 18 hand signals for quick visual communication with players and officials. The
signal for warning is accompanied by a yellow card. A disqualification for the game is indicated
by a red card, followed by a blue card if the disqualification will be accompanied by a report.
The referees also use whistle blows to indicate infractions or to restart the play.

The referees are supported by a scorekeeper and a timekeeper who attend to formal things such
as keeping track of goals and suspensions, or starting and stopping the clock, respectively. They
also keep an eye on the benches and notify the referees on substitution errors. Their desk is
located between the two substitution areas.

Team players, substitutes, and officials

Each team consists of seven players on court and seven substitute players on the bench. One
player on the court must be the designated goalkeeper, differing in his clothing from the rest of
the court players. Substitution of players can be done in any number and at any time during game
play. An exchange takes place over the substitution line. A prior notification of the referees is not
necessary.

Some national bodies, such as the Deutsche Handball Bund (DHB, "German Handball
Federation"), allow substitution in junior teams only when in ball possession or during timeouts.
This restriction is intended to prevent early specialization of players to offence or defence.

Court players

Court players are allowed to touch the ball with any part of their bodies above and including the
knee. As in several other team sports, a distinction is made between catching and dribbling. A
player who is in possession of the ball may stand stationary for only three seconds, and may take
only three steps. They must then either shoot, pass, or dribble the ball. Taking more than three
steps at any time is considered travelling, and results in a turnover. A player may dribble as
many times as they want (though, since passing is faster, it is the preferred method of attack), as
long as during each dribble the hand contacts only the top of the ball. Therefore, carrying is
completely prohibited, and results in a turnover. After the dribble is picked up, the player has the
right to another three seconds or three steps. The ball must then be passed or shot, as further
holding or dribbling will result in a double dribble turnover and a free throw for the other team.
Other offensive infractions that result in a turnover include charging and setting an illegal screen.
Carrying the ball into the six-meter zone results either in ball possession by the goalkeeper (by
attacker) or turnover (by defender).

Goalkeeper

Only the goalkeepers are allowed to move freely within the goal perimeter, although they may
not cross the goal perimeter line while carrying or dribbling the ball. Within the zone, they are
allowed to touch the ball with all parts of their bodies, including their feet, with a defensive aim
(for other actions, they are subject to the same restrictions as the court players). The goalkeepers
may participate in the normal play of their teammates. They may be substituted by a regular
court player if their team elects to use this scheme in order to outnumber the defending players.
Prior to 2015, this court player became the designated goalkeeper on the court and had to wear
some vest or bib to be identified as such. That vest had to be the same colour as the goalkeeper's
shirt to avoid confusion. A rule change meant to make the game more offensive now allows any
player to substitute with the goalkeeper. The new rule resembles the one used in ice hockey. This
rule was first used in the women's world championship in December 2015 and has since been
used by the men's European championship in January 2016 and by both genders in the Olympic
tournament in 2016. This rule change has led to a drastic increase of empty net goals.If either
goalkeeper deflects the ball over the outer goal line, their team stays in possession of the ball, in
contrast to other sports like football. The goalkeeper resumes the play with a throw from within
the zone ("goalkeeper throw"). In a penalty shot, throwing the ball against the head of a
goalkeeper who is not moving risks a direct disqualification ("red card").

Outside of own D-zone, the goalkeeper is treated as an ordinary court player, and has to follow
court players' rules; holding or tackling an opponent player outside the area risks a direct
disqualification. The goalkeeper may not return to the area with the ball. Passing to one's own
goalkeeper results in a turnover.

Team officials

Each team is allowed to have a maximum of four team officials seated on the benches. An
official is anybody who is neither player nor substitute. One official must be the designated
representative who is usually the team manager. Since 2012, representatives can call up to 3
team timeouts (up to twice per half), and may address the scorekeeper, timekeeper, and referees
(before that, it was once per half); overtime and shootouts are considered extensions of the
second half. Other officials typically include physicians or managers. No official is allowed to
enter the playing court without the permission of the referees.

Ball

The ball is spherical and must be made either of leather or a synthetic material. It is not allowed
to have a shiny or slippery surface. As the ball is intended to be operated by a single hand, its
official sizes vary depending on age and gender of the participating teams.

Awarded throws

The referees may award a special throw to a team. This usually happens after certain events such
as scored goals, off-court balls, turnovers and timeouts. All of these special throws require the
thrower to obtain a certain position, and pose restrictions on the positions of all other players.
Sometimes the execution must wait for a whistle blow by the referee.

Throw-off

A throw-off takes place from the center of the court. The thrower must touch the middle line
with one foot, and all the other offensive players must stay in their half until the referee restarts
the game. The defending players must keep a distance of at least three meters from the thrower
until the ball leaves his hand. A throw-off occurs at the beginning of each period and after the
opposing team scores a goal. It must be cleared by the referees.Modern handball introduced the
"fast throw-off" concept; i.e., the play will be immediately restarted by the referees as soon as the
executing team fulfills its requirements. Many teams leverage this rule to score easy goals before
the opposition has time to form a stable defense line.Throw-in

The team which did not touch the ball last is awarded a throw-in when the ball fully crosses the
side line or touches the ceiling. If the ball crosses the outer goal line, a throw-in is awarded only
if the defending court players touched the ball last. Execution requires the thrower to place one
foot on the nearest outer line to the cause. All defending players must keep a distance of three
metres (9.8 ft). However, they are allowed to stand immediately outside their own goal area even
when the distance is less than three meters.Goalkeeper-throw

If the ball crosses the outer goal line without interference from the defending team or when
deflected by the defending team's goalkeeper, or when the attacking team violates the D-zone as
described above, a goalkeeper-throw is awarded to the defending team. This is the most common
turnover. The goalkeeper resumes the play with a throw from anywhere within the goal
area.Free-throw

A free-throw restarts the play after an interruption by the referees. It takes places from the spot
where the interruption was caused, as long as this spot is outside of the free-throw line of the
opposing team. In the latter case, the throw is deferred to the nearest spot on the free-throw line.
Free-throws are the equivalent to free-kicks in association football; however, conceding them is
typically not seen as poor sportsmanship for the defending side, and in itself, they carry no major
disadvantages. (In particular, being awarded a free throw while being on warning for passive
play will not reset the warning, whereas a shot on goal will.) The thrower may take a direct
attempt for a goal which, however, is rarely feasible if the defending team has organised a
defense. However, if a free throw is awarded and the half or game ends, a direct throw at the goal
is typically attempted, which occasionally goes in.

Seven-meter throw

A seven-meter throw is awarded when a clear chance of scoring is illegally prevented anywhere
on the court by an opposing team player, official, or spectator. It is awarded also when the
referees have interrupted a legitimate scoring chance for any reason. The thrower steps with one
foot behind the seven-metre (23 ft) line with only the defending goalkeeper between him and the
goal. The goalkeeper must keep a distance of three metres (9.8 ft), which is marked by a short
tick on the floor. All other players must remain behind the free-throw line until execution and the
defending court players must keep a distance of three meters. The thrower must await the whistle
blow of the referee. A seven-meter throw is the equivalent to a penalty kick in association
football; however, it is far more common and typically occurs several times in a single game. It
is thus tactically similar to free throw percentage in basketball and teams will try to have their
best seven meter throwers execute those throws.

Penalties
Penalties are given to players, in progressive format, for fouls that require more punishment than
just a free-throw. Actions directed mainly at the opponent and not the ball (such as reaching
around, holding, pushing, tripping, and jumping into opponent) as well as contact from the side,
from behind a player or impeding the opponent's counterattack are all considered illegal and are
subject to penalty. Any infraction that prevents a clear scoring opportunity will result in a seven-
meter penalty shot.

Typically the referee will give a warning yellow card for an illegal action; but, if the contact was
particularly dangerous, like striking the opponent in the head, neck or throat, the referee can
forego the warning for an immediate two-minute suspension. Players are warned once before
given a yellow card; they risk being red-carded if they draw three yellows.

A red card results in an ejection from the game and a two-minute penalty for the team. A player
may receive a red card directly for particularly rough penalties. For instance, any contact from
behind during a fast break is now being treated with a red card; as does any deliberate intent to
injure opponents. A red-carded player has to leave the playing area completely. A player who is
disqualified may be substituted with another player after the two-minute penalty is served. A
coach or official can also be penalized progressively. Any coach or official who receives a two-
minute suspension will have to pull out one of their players for two minutes; however, the player
is not the one punished, and can be substituted in again, as the penalty consists of the team
playing with one fewer player than the opposing team.

After referees award the ball to the opponents for whatever reason, the player currently in
possession of the ball has to lay it down quickly, or risk a two-minute suspension. Also,
gesticulating or verbally questioning the referee's order, as well as arguing with the officials'
decisions, will normally risk a yellow card. If the suspended player protests further, does not
walk straight off the court to the bench, or if the referee deems the tempo deliberately slow, that
player risks a double yellow card. Illegal substitution (outside of the dedicated area, or if the
replacement player enters too early) is prohibited; if they do, they risk a yellow card.

Gameplay
Formations

Players are typically referred to by the positions they are playing. The positions are always
denoted from the view of the respective goalkeeper, so that a defender on the right opposes an
attacker on the left. However, not all of the following positions may be occupied depending on
the formation or potential suspensions.

Offense

Left and right wingman. These typically are fast players who excel at ball control and wide
jumps from the outside of the goal perimeter in order to get into a better shooting angle at the
goal. Teams usually try to occupy the left position with a right-handed player and vice versa.
Left and right backcourt. Goal attempts by these players are typically made by jumping high and
shooting over the defenders. Thus, it is usually advantageous to have tall players with a powerful
shot for these positions.

Centre backcourt. A player with experience is preferred on this position who acts as playmaker
and the handball equivalent of a basketball point guard.

Pivot (left and right, if applicable). This player tends to intermingle with the defence, setting
picks and attempting to disrupt the defence's formation. This position requires the least jumping
skills; but ball control and physical strength are advantages.Sometimes, the offense uses
formations with two pivot players.

Defense

There are many variations in defensive formations. Usually, they are described as n:m
formations, where n is the number of players defending at the goal line and m the number of
players defending more offensive. Exceptions are the 3:2:1 defense and n+m formation (e.g.
5+1), where m players defend some offensive player in man coverage (instead of the usual zone
coverage).

Far left and far right. The opponents of the wingmen.

Half left and half right. The opponents of the left and right backcourts.

Back center (left and right). Opponent of the pivot.

Front center. Opponent of the center backcourt, may also be set against another specific
backcourt player.

Offensive play

Attacks are played with all court players on the side of the defenders. Depending on the speed of
the attack, one distinguishes between three attack waves with a decreasing chance of success:

First wave

First wave attacks are characterised by the absence of defending players around their goal
perimeter. The chance of success is very high, as the throwing player is unhindered in his scoring
attempt. Such attacks typically occur after an intercepted pass or a steal, and if the defending
team can switch fast to offence. The far left or far right will usually try to run the attack, as they
are not as tightly bound in the defence. On a turnover, they immediately sprint forward and
receive the ball halfway to the other goal. Thus, these positions are commonly held by quick
players.

Second wave
If the first wave is not successful and some defending players have gained their positions around
the zone, the second wave comes into play: the remaining players advance with quick passes to
locally outnumber the retreating defenders. If one player manages to step up to the perimeter or
catches the ball at this spot, he becomes unstoppable by legal defensive means. From this
position, the chance of success is naturally very high. Second wave attacks became much more
important with the "fast throw-off" rule.Third wave

The time during which the second wave may be successful is very short, as then the defenders
closed the gaps around the zone. In the third wave, the attackers use standardised attack patterns
usually involving crossing and passing between the back court players who either try to pass the
ball through a gap to their pivot, take a jumping shot from the backcourt at the goal, or lure the
defence away from a wingman.The third wave evolves into the normal offensive play when all
defenders not only reach the zone, but gain their accustomed positions. Some teams then
substitute specialised offence players. However, this implies that these players must play in the
defence should the opposing team be able to switch quickly to offence. The latter is another
benefit for fast playing teams.

If the attacking team does not make sufficient progress (eventually releasing a shot on goal), the
referees can call passive play (since about 1995, the referee gives a passive warning some time
before the actual call by holding one hand up in the air, signalling that the attacking team should
release a shot soon), turning control over to the other team. A shot on goal or an infringement
leading to a yellow card or two-minute penalty will mark the start of a new attack, causing the
hand to be taken down; but a shot blocked by the defense or a normal free throw will not. If it
were not for this rule, it would be easy for an attacking team to stall the game indefinitely, as it is
difficult to intercept a pass without at the same time conceding dangerous openings towards the
goal.

Defensive play

The usual formations of the defense are 6–0, when all the defense players line up between the 6-
metre (20 ft) and 9-metre (30 ft) lines to form a wall; the 5–1, when one of the players cruises
outside the 9-metre (30 ft) perimeter, usually targeting the center forwards while the other 5 line
up on the 6-metre (20 ft) line; and the less common 4–2 when there are two such defenders out
front. Very fast teams will also try a 3–3 formation which is close to a switching man-to-man
style. The formations vary greatly from country to country, and reflect each country's style of
play. 6–0 is sometimes known as "flat defense", and all other formations are usually called
"offensive defense".

Organization
Handball teams are usually organised as clubs. On a national level, the clubs are associated in
federations which organize matches in leagues and tournaments.

International body
The International Handball Federation (IHF) is the administrative and controlling body for
international handball. Handball is an Olympic sport played during the Summer Olympics.The
IHF organizes world championships, held in odd-numbered years, with separate competitions for
men and women.

The IHF World Men's Handball Championship 2021 title holders are Denmark. The IHF World
Women's Handball Championship 2019 title holders are Netherlands.The IHF is composed of
five continental federations: Asian Handball Federation, African Handball Confederation, Pan-
American Team Handball Federation, European Handball Federation and Oceania Handball
Federation. These federations organize continental championships held every other second year.
Handball is played during the Pan American Games, All-Africa Games, and Asian Games. It is
also played at the Mediterranean Games. In addition to continental competitions between
national teams, the federations arrange international tournaments between club teams.

International competitions

Nor.Ca. Handball Championship (men, women)

National competitions

Europe

Austria: Handball Liga Austria

Belgium: BENE-League Handball (shared competition with the Netherlands)

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Handball Championship of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Croatia: Croatian First League of Handball

Czech Republic: Czech Handball Extraliga

Denmark: Damehåndboldligaen, Jack & Jones Ligaen

England: England Handball Association

France: Ligue Nationale de Handball

Germany: Handball-Bundesliga, Handball-Bundesliga (women)

Greece: Greek Men's handball championship

Hungary: Nemzeti Bajnokság I (men), Nemzeti Bajnokság I (women)

Iceland: Olís deildin

Israel: Ligat Winner

Macedonia: Macedonian Handball Super League

Montenegro: First League (men), First League (women), Second League (men), Second League
(women)

Netherlands: BENE-League Handball (shared competition with Belgium), Eredivisie (women)

Norway: Eliteserien (men's handball), Eliteserien (women's handball)

Poland: Polish Superliga (men's handball), Ekstraklasa (women's handball)

Portugal: Andebol 1 (men), 1ª Divisão Feminino (women)

Romania: Liga Națională (men), Liga Naţională (women)

Russia: Men's Championship, Women's Championship, Women's Handball Cup, Men's Handball
Cup, Women's Handball Super Cup, Men's Handball Super Cup

Scotland: Scottish Handball League

Serbia: Serbian First League of Handball

Slovakia: Slovenská hadzanárska extraliga

Slovenia: Slovenian First League of Handball, Handball Cup of Slovenia

Spain: Liga ASOBAL, División de Plata de Balonmano

Sweden: Handbollsligan (men)/Svensk handbollselit (women)

Turkey: Turkish Women's Handball Super League (women)/Turkish Handball Super League
(men)

Other

Angola: Angola Men's Handball League (men), Angola Women's Handball League (women)

Australia: Australian Handball Club Championship, Handball League Australia, Australian

National Handball Championship (States)

Tahiti (French Polynesia): Tahitian Handball League

United States: USA Team Handball Nationals, USA Team Handball College Nationals
Japan: Japan Handball League

Argentina: Confederación Argentina de Handball

Egypt: Egyptian Handball League

Attendance records
The current worldwide attendance record for seven-a-side handball was set on 6 September
2014, during a neutral venue German league game between HSV Hamburg and the Mannheim-
based Rhein-Neckar Lions. The matchup drew 44,189 spectators to Commerzbank Arena in
Frankfurt, exceeding the previous record of 36,651 set at Copenhagen's Parken Stadium during
the 2011 Danish Cup final.

Commemorative coins
Handball events have been selected as a main motif in numerous collectors' coins. One of the
recent samples is the €10 Greek Handball commemorative coin, minted in 2003 to commemorate
the 2004 Summer Olympics. On the coin, the modern athlete directs the ball in his hands towards
his target, while in the background the ancient athlete is just about to throw a ball, in a game
known as cheirosphaira, in a representation taken from a black-figure pottery vase of the Archaic
period.

The most recent commemorative coin featuring handball is the British 50 pence coin, part of the
series of coins commemorating the London 2012 Olympic Games.

See also
References
Notes

The editors of Encyclopædia Britannica, ed. (3 May 2017). "Team handball". Encyclopædia
Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

External links
Media related to Handball at Wikimedia Commons

International Handball Federation (IHF)

Team Handball News - Handball news and commentary

Basic Rules