Background on handball

AS its name suggests, handball is restricted to the use of the upper limbs (above the knees), just like the lower limbs are allowed in football.

Handball, which can be played indoors or outdoors, dates back to medieval France and by the 19th century, different forms of the game were being played in other parts of Europe and also in Uruguay. Team handball was a medal sport at the 1972 Olympics in Muinich.

According to the International Handball Federation, more than 19 million enthusiasts currently play the game.

There are seven players in a side, consisting of the goalkeeper, left and right winger, rightback and leftback, a centre and a pivot, more commonly referred to as an “attacker”.

The pivot’s role is to breach a wall of defence to allow his teammates to sneak in and send the ball dancing into the back of their opponents’ net.

Like football, handball is a fast, frenzied and frenetic game with aggressive body contacts aplenty. Rough play, such as jersey-pulling, collaring and attacking from behind, can be punished with a two-minute suspension of the offender.

Contrary to expectations, this temporary “depletion” of the playing side is a blessing in disguise as it allows more leeway for the pivot to open up the opponents’ defence for his/her teammates to score.

The rules also state that players with the ball must not remain stationary for more than three seconds, and are only allowed to move three steps thereafter.

A synthetic leather ball is used, but of varying sizes for males (58cm-60cm in circumference) and females (54cm56cm)

Ricky

Yap