history Handball (also known as team handball, Olympic handball, European team handball,European handball, or Borden ball[1]) is a team

sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outfield players and a goalkeeper on each team) pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team. A standard match consists of two periods of 30 minutes, and the team with more goals scored wins. Modern handball is usually played indoors, but outdoor variants exist in the forms of field handballand Czech handball (which were more common in the past) and beach handball (also called sandball). The game is quite fast and includes body contact, as the defenders try to stop the attackers from approaching the goal. Contact is allowed only when the defensive player is completely in front of the offensive player; i.e., between the offensive player and the goal. Any contact from the side or especially from behind is considered dangerous and is usually met with penalties. When a defender successfully stops an attacking player (who loses the ball over a line), the play is stopped and restarted by the attacking team from the spot of the infraction or on the 9-metre line. Unlike inbasketball, where players are allowed to commit only 5 fouls in a game, handball players are allowed an unlimited number of faults, which are considered good defence and disruptive to the attacking team's rhythm. Certain elements of the game are reminiscent of rugby: for instance, the degree of force that defence may use to stop the attacker with the ball, together with the lack of protections and helmets. Goals are scored quite frequently; usually both teams score at least 20 goals each, and it is not uncommon for both teams to score more than 30 goals. This was not true in the earliest history of the game, when the scores were lower. But, as offensive play has improved since the late 1980s, particularly the use of counter-attacks (fast breaks) after a failed attack from the other team, goal-scoring has increased.

Playing field

Schematic diagram of a handball playing field (German captions).

Handball is played on a court 40 by 20 metres (130 ft 66 ft), with a goal in the centre of each end. The goals are surrounded by a nearsemicircular area, called the zone or the crease, defined by a line six metres 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.

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HANDBALL COURT DIMENSIONS

The main dimensions and markings for the Team Handball Court consist of the following major elements. Court and Lines: The indoor court has a hard surface. All lines are 5 centimeters (2 inches) thick; the only exception is the goal line, which is 8 centimeters (3 inches) thick. All lines must be prominent and of the same color. Sidelines and Goal Lines: The overall size of the court is 40 meters (44 yards) long by 20 meters (22 yards) wide. This is much bigger than a standard basketball court. The longer outer boundaries of the court are called sidelines or touchlines. The shorter boundaries are referred to as Goal Lines or End Lines. A distance of 1 meter (1 yard) outside the court in all four directions should be free of obstacles to allow for free throwing of the ball and safety to the players. Halfway or Center Line: This is a line parallel to the goal lines and equidistant from both. There is a point marked at the center of the halfway line; the game is started from there at the beginning and re-started from the same point after halftime and after any goal is scored. Free-throw Line (9 Meters): The Free-throw line is a dashed arc outside the D-zone. Its furthest point is 9 meters (9.8 yards) from the outer goal line. After an attacking team is fouled inside the Free-throw line, players resume the game from this line. Penalty Mark (7 Meter Mark): The Penalty Mark is 7 meters (7.6 yards) in front of the goal line and is 1 meter (1 yard) wide. The Penalty mark is where a player of the opponents' team takes a penalty throw. Goal Area / Crease / D-Zone (6 Meters): The goal is surrounded by a D-shaped area formed of two quarter-circles, each with a radius of 6 meters (6.5 yards) and using the outer end of the goal post as the center. A short straight line joins the open ends of the two quarter-circles. The only player allowed in the Crease is the goalkeeper defending that goal. This line separates him from all the other players. Goalkeeper Line (4 Meter Line): The Goal Keeper line is drawn 4 meters (4.4 yards) away from the goal and centered along the width of the court. That line marks the outermost distance to which the goalkeeper is allowed to go from the goal being defended during a penalty throw. Goal / Clearance Area: A goal is centered along each goal line at each end of the court. It is 3 meters (3.2 yards) wide and 2 meters (2.2 yards) tall, bolted to the wall or to the floor. It is 2 meters (2.2 yards) deep from the goal line to the outside. Goal posts: The goal posts and crossbar are made of aluminum or wood, 8 centimeters (3 inches) wide in cross-section. These three rods should be painted in alternate colors that contrast with each other and with the court background to make them visible from all areas of the large court. A common color code should be used for both goals. The net should be fixed to the posts and crossbar such that a ball thrown into it should not pass or leave the goal. Substitution area: The substitution area is centered along one sideline of the court, extending 4.5 meters (5 yards) each side from the halfway line. Any player leaving or entering the field must do so from there. Governing International Federation: Such as with most international sports, there is a governing body for team handball, That body is called the International Handball Federation (IHF). The Fedaration standardizes both the rules of the game and the court dimensions for a team handball court.