Imprint:European Handball Federation (EHF), Vienna/AUT, August 2008European Handball Federation (EHF), Vienna/AUT, August 2008European Handball Federation (EHF), Vienna/AUT, August 2008European Handball Federation (EHF), Vienna/AUT, August 2008

www.eurohandball.com

Following a proposal by both the EHF Competitions Commission (CC) and the EHF Methods Commission (MC)the EHF Executive Committee approved the production of a "short rule version" of the handball rules forpromotional purposes only. The work is based on the "Rules of the Game" by the International Handball"Rules of the Game" by the International Handball"Rules of the Game" by the International Handball"Rules of the Game" by the International Handball

Federation (IHF), for details and references please visitFederation (IHF), for details and references please visitFederation (IHF), for details and references please visitFederation (IHF), for details and references please visit www.ihf.info

Editorial board:EHF Working Group "Rule Simplifications & Modifications"EHF Working Group "Rule Simplifications & Modifications"EHF Working Group "Rule Simplifications & Modifications"EHF Working Group "Rule Simplifications & Modifications"

in cooperation with the EHF Youth Forumin cooperation with the EHF Youth Forumin cooperation with the EHF Youth Forumin cooperation with the EHF Youth Forum

Jan Tuik/EHF CC Chairman ∙ Frantisek Taborsky/EHF MC Chairman ∙ Allan Lund/EHF MC Member Development ∙ SandorAndorka/EHF CC Member Refereeing ∙ Roland Bürgi/EHF Mentor Refereeing ∙ Natasha Engberg/EHF Youth Forum Member ∙ CristinaNastase/EHF Youth Forum Member ∙ Helena Crnojevic/EHF Youth Forum Member ∙ Marcos Bestilleiro/EHF Office ∙ Helmut Höritsch/

EHF Competence Academy & Network ∙ Cartoons & artwork by Wanzi/ComixConcepts ∙ Translation: EHF

EnglishEnglishEnglishEnglish

Goal

Outer goal lineGoal area

Centre line

The Basic Principles of HandballHandball is a team sport based on "fair play" principles.

On court there are two male or female teams playing against each other,both trying to score goals with a handball.

The team that has scored the most goals when the playing time is over is thewinner.

The winning team isgiven 2 points. If thereis a draw, the twoteams are awarded 1point each.

Technical FacilitiesDifferent ball sizes are used for different age groups/genders.

The goal height is 2 metres, the goal width 3 metres.

The playing time can be varied and is up to 2x30 minutes in official games.

Referee signals

Free throwA free throw isawarded eitherwhen the defendingplayersor the team in posession of theball commit a rule violation

Time‐OutThe playing time isstopped whennecessary.

Offensive foulAn offensive fouldresults in a freethrow for thedefending team.

Keep the 3m distanceWhile a throw isexecuted theopponents have tostay 3 metres awayfrom the ball.

Goalkeeper throwA goalkeeper throwis awarded when

the attacking team enters thegoal area.a player of the attacking teamtouches the ball when its rollingor lying on the floor in the goalaera.the goalkeeper has controll ofthe ball in the goal area or whenthe ball has crossed the outergoal line.

StepsTaking more then 3steps with the ballresults in a freethrow for thedefending team.

Dribble faultA dribble fault (e.g.double bounce)results in a freethrow for thedefending team.

Throw‐inA throw‐in isawarded when theball goes outsidethe court. R

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"Fair play" and Officiating

The beauty of handball is "fair play".

It is the two referees who are in charge of ending thegame. Their task is to maintain the "fair play" principle.

Progressive punishment is given to the players who donot follow the rules of "fair play" or violate the rules inany other way.

Progressive punishment

Warning 2 minutesuspension

Disqualification

Throw to (re)start the GameIn handball there are five different throws defined by the rules to (re)startthe game, which are the throw ofthrow ofthrow ofthrow off, free throwfree throwfree throwfree throw, goalkeeper throwgoalkeeper throwgoalkeeper throwgoalkeeper throw, 7 metre7 metre7 metre7 metrethrowthrowthrowthrow and throw‐inthrow‐inthrow‐inthrow‐in.

A 7 metre throw7 metre throw7 metre throw7 metre throw is given when a clear scoring chance is destroyed.

At the beginning of the first and second half time as well as after a goalhas been scored a throw‐offa throw‐offa throw‐offa throw‐off is taken.

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Playing court40x20m

Goals3x2m

Teams/Players/Team Officials/RefereesEach team consists of up to 14 players.On court a team has 6 field players and 1 goalkeeper

Within each team the player are interchangeable during the game.

All field players of a team wear identical, coloured uniforms.Goalkeepers wear uniforms that differ from those of the field players.

Players are not permitted to wear objects that could be dangerous(watches, rings, earrings, necklaces, etc.).

Up to 4 team officials are responsible for coaching theirteam.

2 referees officiate the game on court in cooperation withthe judges' table (timekeeper, scorekeeper).

Attacker

Defender

Referees

Team Officials

Goalkeeper

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The attacking players

ALLOWED NOT ALLOWED CONSEQUENCESThrow and catch theball using hands andarms

Block or kick the ballusing the feet

Free throw for thedefending team

Pass the ball to a teammate

Hold the ball for morethen 3 seconds

Free throw for thedefending team

Bounce the ball withone hand and catch itagain

Bounce the ball, catchit and bounce it again =Dribble fault

Free throw for thedefending team

Take a maximum of 3steps with the ball

Take more then 3 stepswith the ball

Free throw for thedefending team

Move outside the goalareas

Enter the goal area Goalkeeper throw

Touch the ball in theair above the goal area

Touch the ball lyinginside the goal area

Goalkeeper throw

Break though thedefence

Charge the opponent orrun into a defendingplayer = Offensive foul

Free throw for thedefending team

Pass the ball in orderto create a scoringchance

Keep the ball in theteam's possessionwithout creating ascoring chance =Passive play

Free throw for thedefending team

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The defending players

ALLOWED NOT ALLOWED CONSEQUENCESUse the hands and armsto block the ball

Pull or hit the ball outof the hands of theattacking player

Free throw for theattacking team

Make a frontal bodycontact with theattacking player

Hold the attackingplayer's body/ shirt,push run or jump intohim/her

Free throw/progressivepunishment

Stay outside the goalarea

Use the goal area as adefence position/prevent a clear scoringchance

7 metre throw

Stay at least 3 metresaway from theattacking player whenexecuting a throw to(re)start the game

Interfere with anattacking player whenexecuting a throw to(re)start the game

Progressive punishment

The goalkepper

ALLOWED NOT ALLOWED CONSEQUENCESTouch the ball with anypart of the body insidethe goal area

Take the ball into thegoal area from outsidethe 6m line

Free throw for theattacking team

Leave the goal withoutthe ball and play as afield player

Leave the goal areawith the ball

Free throw for theattacking team

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