Olympic sport Handball

Sport

Handball

Kind of sport

Summersport

Old sport

Description

This fast paced team sport has only had a brief chapter in the annals of the modern Olympics. In 1939, it was on the Olympic programme, but at that time, field handball was played with eleven players to a team. It returned to the Olympics in 1972, but this time, it was played on an indoor court and with seven players. A handball team consists of twelve players, ten of which play in the field and two who defend the goal posts, the goal-keepers. During a match, six field players and a goal-keeper are on the court while the remaining players serve as substitutes. the men play for two periods whichconsist of thirty minutes each. The women also play with seven players on a team but they play two periods of twenty-five minutes.
Handball is a competitive team sport which is fast, yet fair. The team which has scored the most goals wins. There are two important rules in handball: firstly, the ball may not be played with the feet or the lower leg, and secondly, it is not allowed for a team to make more than three hand passes. In other words, after three passes have been made an attempt to score must be made. If a player commits a minor contravention of the rules of the game, he/she will be penalized by the other team getting a free throw. But a more serious violation is penalized by giving the other side a sevenmetre penalty throw. This younger form of handball is a fast and highly active sport which has forced the older game into oblivion. In modern handball endurance and the ability to respond quickly are crucial. A handball player must defend, attack and not be covered. He/she must also be a sprinter, a jumper and have a powerful throwing arm.