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Tuesday, September 19
Team Handball Fan Guide
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IN THE CROSSHAIRS |
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ESPN.com puts Olympic handball In the Crosshairs with our interactive fan guide feature. Check out each sport's fan guide for more In the Crosshairs looks at the Olympic sports.
Handball in the Crosshairs
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Olympic competition dates: Sept. 16-Oct. 1
Venue: Pavilion 2, Sydney Olympic Park
The outlook
The women's division, which started in 1976, expands to 10
teams. There are 12 teams in the men's field, which began play in
1972. Underdog Denmark won the 1996 women's event over South Korea,
the 1988 and 1992 champions, in overtime. Australia received an
automatic bid as the host nation.
The finer points
The court: The playing surface is slightly larger than a basketball court, measuring 131 feet in length and 65½ feet from sideline to sideline. The goal is seven feet high and 10 feet wide.
Basic rules: Matches are played in two halves of 30 minutes each. Each team can have seven players on court, including the goalkeeper, with substitutions made on a rolling basis. Only the goalkeeper can touch the ball with his body in the act of defense within the goal area. Players can hold the ball only up to three seconds each and may take up to three steps when in possession. They are not allowed to kick the ball. Players are not allowed to obstruct or push an opponent or hit a ball out of an opponent's hands.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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