GAME OF HANDBALL

HANDBALL





Handball is one of the world's popular and fastest game. It is played between two teams in which a ball is hit with the hand in walled court. A team moves the ball by dribbling, passing, or bouncing it as they run. Players may stop, catch, throw, bounce or strike the ball with ant part of the body above the knees. Each team tries to score goals by directing the ball past the opposition's Goalkeeper into the net.


The playing area ia rectangular court divided into two halves by a center line parallel to the goal lines and two goal areas.

Each goal area is made by marking a line 3m long at a distance of 6m from the goal and parallel to the goal line and the ends of this line are connected with the goal line by means of quarter circles with a radius of 6m measured from the back inside corner of the goal posts. This line is called goal area line.

Each goal is posted is placed on the center of each goal line. A goal consists of two meter upright posts equidistant from the corners of the playing area placed 3 meters a part and 2 meters high firmly fixed to the ground and firmly joined by a horizontal cross bar. The Goal will be provided with a net, attached in such a way that a ball thrown into it, cannot rebound immediately.

A broken line is marked 3cm long at a distance of 9m from the goal and parallel to the goal line and the ends of this line is connected with the goal lines by means of quarter circles with a radius of 9m measured from the back inside corner of the goal posts. This line is called the free throw line

Ball



The ball used for playing must be spherical and consist of a rubber bladder and an outer casing of one coloures leather or of a synthetic material. The outer casing must not be shiny or slippery. The weight of the ball is between 425g and 475g and the circumference is between 58 and 60cm.






Game

There are twelve players in one team, 10 of them are court players and two are goal keepers. But not more than seven players do not enter the court at one time. Six of them are court players and one is goal keeper. The remaining five are substitutes. The duration of the game is 30 minutes of 2 equal periods with an interval of 10 minutes. The playing time begins when the court referee whistles for the throw-off and ends when the time keeper gives an audible signal indicating that the period of play is ended.

Substitutes may enter the game at any time without notifying time keeper as long as the players they are replacing have already left the court. A foul substitution is penalized by a free throw to be taken from the place where the substitute entered the court. In addition the player is suspended for 2 minutes.

The goal keepers must never act as court players. A court player, however may act as goal keeper. The players are permitted to stop, to catch, to throw, to bounce or to strike the ball in any manner and in any direction by using hands (fists or open hands), arms, head, body, thighs or knees. They are permitted to hold the ball for a maximum time of 3 seconds and to take a maximum of three steps while holding the ball.

It is not permitted to touch the ball with any part of the leg below the knee except when the ball has been thrown at the player by an opponent. It is not an offence however, if it does not give the offender or his team an advantage and it is a contravention of the rules if the ball is thrown on the player's leg or foot by an opponent.

Only the goal keeper is allowed to enter the goal area. The goal area, is regarded as entered when a court player touches the ground therein with any part of the body. Court players who enter the goal area are penalized as follows :

• free throw - when the player is in possession of the ball

• free throw - when the player is not in possession of the ball, but gains an advantage or gives his team an advantage by entering the goal area.

• penalty throw - when a court player of the defending team by entering the goal area gains an advantage over the attacking opponent who is in possession of the ball.

If a player intentionally plays the ball into his own goal area the referee shall rule

• goal - if the ball goes wholly into the goal

• penalty throw - if the goal keeper touches the ball and the ball does not go wholly into the goal

• free throw - from 9m line parallel to foul throw, if the ball comes to rest inside the goal area or goes over the goal line outside the goal

• play continues - if the ball travels the goal area and continues into the playing area again without having been touched by the goal keeper.

• Score

A goal is scored, when the whole of the ball has passed over the opponents goal line between the goal posts and under the cross bar. If a referee or the time keeper has blown his whistle before the whole of the ball has crossed the goal line, the goal cannot be counted. A goal made by a team in its own goal is awarded to the opposing team. A goal may be scored direct from any throw except goal throw. If a goal has been scored, the play has been restarted by a throw on from the center of the court. The team having scored the greater number of goals will be the winner. If both teams have scored the same number of goals or if no goal has been scored at all, the game is a draw.

If previously decided that a match will end in a decision and at the end of the second half if it is a draw, two extra halves will be played, after an interval of 5 minutes. The referee will again toss a coin and the team winning the toss will have the option of sides or the throw on. The 2 halves will be of 5 minutes each. Even after these 2 halves, if the game remains indecisive, another 2 halves of 5 minutes each must be played after an interval of 5 minutes and after a new toss of coin.

Action Of Play

Throw Off The throw off at the start of the game is taken by the team which wins the coin toss and chooses to start in possession of the ball or the team whose opponents wins the coin toss and opt to choose ends. The throw off at the start of the second half is taken by the other team. The throw off is taken from the center of the court in any directions. After the referee has blown his whistle the throw off must be taken within 3 seconds. Throw in A throw in is awarded, if the whole of the ball crosses the side line or if a court player of the defending team last touched the ball before it crossed the goal line outside the goal. The throw in, is taken from the place where the ball crossed the side line of the side of the goal where the ball crossed the goal line. The player taking the throw in must have one foot on the side line until the ball has left his hand. While the throw in is taken, the opponents must stay at least 3m from the thrower. Goal Throw A goal throw will be awarded if - the whole of the ball passes over the goal line outside the goal, either in the air or on the ground, having last touched a player, of the attacking team or the goal keeper of the defending team or the goal keeper of the defending team in his goal area the ball goes direct into the goal of the opposite team as a result of the throw on, a throw in or a goal throw The goal throw has been taken by the goal keeper from his goal area, into the court. The goal throw will be considered as taken, the moment ball leaves the hands of the goal keeper and crosses the goal line area. Free Throw A free throw will be awarded for - entering or leaving the playing ground in a faulty manner infringements by the goal keeper infringement by court player in the goal area playing the ball incorrectly deliberate playing of the ball across the side line or the goal line outside the goal passive play or wasting time infringements of the rules concerning approach to opponents interruption of play without an infringement ungentlemanly conduct incorrect taking of throws serious or repeated fouls infringements in connection with a throw in, goal throw, free throw, penalty throw and referee's throw The player of the attacking team shall neither touch nor cross the free throw line of the opposite team until the free throw is taken. When a free throw is taken, the opponents must remain at a distance of at least 3 meters. Penalty throw A penalty throw will be awarded when: an infringement in any part of the court spoils a clear chance of scoring a goal keeper enters his goal area with the ball or takes it into the goal area a court player enters his own goal area to gain an advantage over an attacking opponent who is in possession of the ball a court player intentionally plays the ball to his own goal keeper in the goal area The penalty throw is taken as a shot at goal within 3 seconds from the whistle signal from the court referee. The player taking the penalty throw must not touch or cross the penalty throw line before the ball has left his hand. While the penalty throw is being taken all players with the exception of the player taking the throw and the defending goal keeper will be outside the free throw line. If a player of the defending team touches or crosses the free throw line before the ball has left thrower's hand the referees will decide it as a goal, if the ball goes into the goal. While the penalty throw is being taken, the goal keeper crosses the goal keeper line (4m line) before the ball has left, the throw will be retaken if a goal was not scored. Referee's Throw The game will be restarted by a referee's throw if: the referee has interrupted the game the game has been interrupted when no team was in possession of the ball, without any infringements of the rules being committed the ball touches the roof or any obstacle fixed on it above the court half time is signaled before expiry of the time and the players have already left the court. In this case the referee's throw is taken in the center of the court after whistle signal The referee's throw will be taken by the court referee bouncing the ball vertically on the point of the ground where the play was interrupted. He must not blow his whistle. While the referee's throw is being taken, no player will be nearer to the referee than 3m, before the ball has touched the ground. Before any throw is taken the ball must rest in the thrower's hand. Only the thrower will be permitted to touch the ball before the throw is taken. When taking the throw on, the throw in, the corner throw, the free throw and the penalty throw, the thrower will keep his feet stationary on the ground till the ball has left his hand. A throw is considered to be taken when the ball has left the hands of the thrower.

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