Team Handball

Athlete Eligibility and Classification

Players at the Deaflympics compete under CISS rules which require a minimum hearing loss of 55 dB in the better ear. Classification procedures and criteria are described on the CISS web site at http://www.ciss.org. Click on "about," then "regulations," then scroll down to Article 1.3 on eligibility.

Players in Special Olympics competition must have a primary diagnosis of mental retardation. They are classified according to a process called divisioning in which athletes are grouped by ability levels for competition. In team handball, divisioning is based upon scores from the four Team Handball Skills Assessment Tests, namely the spot shot, speed pass, dribble, and power throw, as well as the results from early round play. For more information, consult the Special Olympics rules at http://www.specialolympics.org. Click on "sports" then choose "team handball" from the drop-down rules menu.

Events

Handball events at the Deaflympics includes men's and women's team competition. Each team plays in round-robin competition against all other teams.

Special Olympics events include team competition (teams of 1 goalkeeper and 6 court players), five-a-side team handball, and individual skill competition (sum of scores earned on the target pass, 10m dribble, and shoot). Special Olympics also offers Unified Sports team competition and individual skills competition, in which the team rosters must include an equal number of players with and without mental retardation.

Playing Area

A regulation team handball court is 20m x 40m. There are four lines marked on the court, the 6m/goal area line, the 7m/penalty line, the 9m/free throw line, and a center line midway between the two baselines. The goal is 3m wide by 2m high. Although Deaflympics and Special Olympics games are usually played indoors on a basketball court surface, team handball can also be played outdoor on grass, a paved area, or beach.

Diagram of a team handball court is from the web site for
USA Team Handball (http://www.usateamhandball.org/)

Rules

The Federation Internationale de Handball (IHF) is the international governing body for team handball. The IHF rules are followed at the Deaflympics without exception. The IHF rules also are observed at the Special Olympics World Games with a few exceptions. The IHF web site was not operational at the time this page was developed; therefore, the USA Team Handball web site was used as the source of information about rules. The web address for USA Team Handball is http://www.usateamhandball.org.

Team handball is played by two teams of 7 players each (1 goalkeeper and 6 court players). The object of the game is to throw the ball past a goalkeeper into the opponent's goal. Players advance the ball down the court by dribbling and throwing the ball. They are allowed to dribble for an unlimited amount of time, run with the ball for up to three steps before and after dribbles, and hold the ball without moving for three seconds (five seconds in Special Olympics games). Players are not allowed to pull, hit, or punch the ball out of the opponent's hands, endanger an opponent with the ball, or contact the ball below the knees. Free throws are awarded to the opponent in the event of minor fouls or violations. A 7-meter penalty shot is awarded to the opponent when major violations are committed. Matches consist of two 30-minute periods with a 10-minute half-time interval. There are no overtime periods in team handball.

Equipment

Links