Sydney Olympic Park, Pavilion 2, 20 September 2000, Games of the XXVII Olympiad: Magnus WISLANDER (N°3) of Sweden battling with Anouar AYED (n°2) of Tunisia during the handball preliminaries. Sweden went on to win the game by 27 to 18. Credit: Getty Images/Steve Munday

The modern game of handball was first played towards the end of the 19th century in Denmark, Germany and Sweden. Recognition of field handball based on the games of "Raffball" (snatch ball) and "Königsbergerball" (Konrad Koch, 1846-1911) occurred at the turn of the century. G. Wallström introduced Sweden to the sport of "handball" in 1910.

After the men's game debuted on turf football fields at the 1936 Games in Berlin, the European-based sport next appeared in its present indoor form in 1972 at Munich. A women's division opened in 1976 and it has become one of the most highly attended Olympic sports.

Discipline's origin

 The modern game of handball was first played towards the end of the 19th century in Denmark, Germany and Sweden. Recognition of field handball based on the games of "Raffball" (snatch ball) and "Königsbergerball" (Konrad Koch, 1846-1911) occurred at the turn of the century. G. Wallström introduced Sweden to the sport of "handball" in 1910.

The sport evolved and grew in popularity early in the 20th century and ironically it was the secretary general of the Association Internationale de Football, a Dutchman called Hirschmann, who encouraged the spread of field handball in 1912. The first set of rules for field handball were drawn up in 1917 by Max Heiser, and in 1919 Berlin sports teacher Karl Schelenz launched this form of handball played on a full size outdoor football pitch. Later on he improved the rules and he is now generally regarded as one of the founding fathers of handball.

The International Amateur Handball Federation (IAHF) was set up in 1928 on the occasion of the Olympic Games in Amsterdam. In 1938 the first Field Handball World Championship was played in Germany. The International Handball Federation was formed in 1946 by the eight founding members of the IAHF. At that time both the 11-a-side field handball played in Europe and a new 7-a-side indoor version preferred by the Scandinavians had equal popularity. Between 1938 and 1966 both forms of handball were played at separate World Championships.

Olympic history

Handball (the indoor version) was first present in the Munich 1972 Olympic Games. A competition involving 16 men's teams was staged with Yugoslavia winning the first Olympic gold medal.

Women's handball was introduced at the following Olympic Games in Montreal, 1976. The USSR won the gold medals in both the 11-team men's and 6-team women's competition.

Playing court

The playing court (see diagram 1) is a 40 meter long and 20 meter wide rectangle, consisting of two goal areas (see 1:4 and 6) and a playing area. The longer boundary lines are called side lines, and the shorter ones are called goal lines (between the goalposts) or outer goal lines (on either side of the goal).

There should be a safety zone surrounding the playing court, with a width of at least 1 meter along the side lines and 2 meters behind the goal lines.

The characteristics of the playing court must not be altered during the game in such a way that one team gains an advantage.

A goal (see diagrams 2a and 2b) is placed in the center of each outer goal line. The goals must be firmly attached to the floor or to the walls behind them. They have an interior height of 2 meters and a width of 3 meters.

The goalposts are joined by a horizontal crossbar. The rear side of the goalposts shall be in line with the rear edge of the goal line. The goalposts and the crossbar must have an 8cm square cross section.

On the three sides which are visible from the court they must be painted in bands of two contrasting colors, which also contrast clearly with the background.

The goals must have a net, that should be attached in such a way that a ball thrown into the goal normally remains in the goal.

All lines on the court are fully part of the area that they enclose. The goal lines shall be 8cm wide between the goalposts (see diagram 2a), whereas all other lines shall be 5cm wide.

Lines between two adjacent areas may be replaced with a difference in colors between the adjacent areas of the floor.

In front of each goal there is a goal area (see diagram 5). The goal area is defined by the goal-area line (6-meter line), which is drawn as follows :

a) a 3 meter long lin