197 member federations.
[4] The sport is most popular in the countries of continental Europe, which
have won all medals but one in the men's world championships since 1938. In the women's world
championships, only two non-European countries have won the title: South Korea and Brazil. The
game also enjoys popularity in East Asia, North Africa and parts of South America.
The game was codified at the end of the 19th century in Denmark. The modern set of rules was
published in 1917 in Germany, and had several revisions since. The first international games were
played under these rules for men in 1925 and for women in 1930. Men's handball was first played at
the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin as outdoors, and the next time at the 1972 Summer
Olympics in Munich as indoors, and has been an Olympic sport since. Women's team handball was
added at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
The International Handball Federation was formed in 1946 and, as of 2016, has
Contents
1Origins and development
2Rules
o 2.1Summary
o 2.2Playing court
o 2.3Duration
o 2.4Referees
o 2.5Team players, substitutes, and officials
o 2.6Ball
o 2.7Awarded throws
o 2.8Penalties
3Gameplay
o 3.1Formations
o 3.2Offensive play
o 3.3Defensive play
4Organization
o 4.1International body
o 4.2International competitions
o 4.3National competitions
5Attendance records
6Commemorative coins
7See also
8References
9External links
Origins and development[edit]
A postage stamp from East Germany depicting handball at the 1972 Olympics
There is evidence of ancient Roman women playing a version of handball called expulsim ludere.
[5]
There are records of handball-like games in medieval France, and among the Inuit in Greenland, in
the Middle Ages. By the 19th century, there existed similar games
of håndbold from Denmark, házená in the Czech Republic, handbol in Ukraine,
and torball in Germany.[6]
The team handball game of today was codified at the end of the 19th century in northern Europe:
primarily in Denmark, Germany, Norway and Sweden. The first written set of team handball rules
was published in 1906 by the Danish gym teacher, lieutenant and Olympic medalist Holger
Nielsen from Ordrup grammar school, north of Copenhagen. The modern set of rules was published
on 29 October 1917 by Max Heiser, Karl Schelenz, and Erich Konigh from Germany. After 1919
these rules were improved by Karl Schelenz. The first international games were played under these
rules, between Germany and Belgium by men in 1925 and between Germany and Austria by women
in 1930.
In 1926, the Congress of the International Amateur Athletics Federation nominated a committee to
draw up international rules for field handball. The International Amateur Handball Federation was
formed in 1928 and later the International Handball Federation was formed in 1946.
