By For those of you who have ever watched Olympic handball, you’re already aware that this game is totally crazy, quick, scoring a lot of points and most importantly, really fun to watch. In other words, it’s pretty much like taking basketball, soccer and water polo, combining them in a blender, putting it on a floor, and turning up the roughness factor.
To really keep up with the crazy speed of the matches set by the International Handball Federation (IHF), it helps to know how the game works.
Let’s break down the official Olympic handball rules and key Olympic Handball regulations so you can watch like a pro.
What Is Olympic Handball, Exactly?
Team handball, also known as Olympic handball, is a fast-paced indoor sport played between two teams. Each team has seven players, including six outfield players and one goalkeeper. The main objective of the game is to score by throwing the ball into the opposing team’s goal while preventing the other team from doing the same.
The sport has been a permanent fixture in the Summer Olympics since 1972 for men and 1976 for women. Today, it is governed internationally by the International Handball Federation (IHF), which regularly updates the Olympic handball rules and regulations to ensure fair and competitive play.
Olympic Handball Rules: The Rule of Threes
Talking about the basic Olympic handball rules is actually very simple once you get the hang of it, especially because it all revolves around the number three.
Here is how it works:
- The 3-Second Olympic Handball Rules: You can only hold onto the ball for up to 3 seconds before you have to pass it, shoot, or start dribbling. No holding onto it forever!
- The 3-Step Rule: While you’re holding the ball, you can only take 3 steps. After that, you’ve got to get rid of it or bounce it.
- The Dribble Reset: Want to move more? You can bounce the ball on the floor like in basketball. Once you catch it again, you get a fresh set of 3 steps! Just remember, you can’t double-dribble.
- Using Your Body: Field players can use any part of their body from the knees up, so hands, arms, chest, and head are all good. But watch out: if the ball touches your foot, it’s an automatic turnover.
Mastering “The Crease” and Scoring
Ever notice that curved line six meters out from the goal in Olympic handball? Only the goalie can go into that goal area. If an attacking player steps into it even a little bit, any goal they just scored does not count, and the other team gets the ball.
Players figured out a super cool loophole around this rule: the jump shot.
Instead of stepping into the zone, an attacker sprints, leaps from outside the line and flies right through the air over the crease to throw the ball. As long as they let go of the ball before their feet touch the ground inside that forbidden zone, the goal is 100% legal!
Strict Olympic Handball Regulations: Fouls and Passive Play
Handball is definitely a tough sport where players bump into each other a lot, but it is not a free-for-all. The rules in Olympic Handball punish dangerous moves hard, all while keeping the game super fast-paced!
Handling Fouls
Players can use their chests to obstruct the attackers, but under no circumstances can they trip, punch, push or hold an attacker. Should there be a rule violation, the referees will penalise them with:
- Yellow Card: This is simply a warning for unsportsmanlike behaviour.
- Two-Minute Suspension: The player is to be suspended from playing the match for two minutes. It should be noted that when the player collects three such cards, he gets a red card.
- Red Card: The player gets expelled from the match entirely.
Time-Wasting: Preventing Passive Play
However, to ensure that the game is swift and fun, stalling and wasting time is prohibited by the team. Should a team be seen passing around the ball with no intention of making an attack or shooting, the referee holds his/her hands up as a warning.
The moment the referee issues this caution, there are only four passes left for the attacking team before they attempt to score from the goal. The team loses the ball to the opponent if they do not throw the ball into the goal.
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Mastering the Game with Olympic Handball Rules
If you have just started playing team handball or are watching a game from the spectator stand, knowing all the rules will make the game much more interesting to you. Understanding the Olympic handball rules will give you an insight into what is happening on the court at each moment of a game.
Team handball is a really interesting sport which is about quick thinking, strategic play, and athleticism. By getting familiar with Olympic handball rules, you will be able to follow all actions taking place during the game and understand decisions made by the referee. Both players, coaches, and spectators need to have a good understanding of the rules of the game to be able to fully enjoy it.
