Handball

History of Handball

Handball first entered the Olympic programme at the 1936 Berlin Games. Six national teams competed in the 11-a-side outdoor format, with Germany winning the tournament.

Women’s handball debuted at the 1976 Montreal Games. The Soviet team became the first Olympic champion and repeated its success at the 1980 Moscow Games.

Rules of Handball

A handball team consists of 16 players. No more than seven may be on court at one time; the others are substitutes. One court player is the goalkeeper. Each team must have at least five players at the start of the match.

Match duration: senior matches consist of two 30-minute halves with a 15-minute interval. Matches for ages 8–12 have two 20-minute halves, and ages 12–16 have two 25-minute halves. Teams change ends after the interval. If a winner must be determined, extra time may be played as two five-minute periods with a one-minute break.

Handball in Kazakhstan

The Handball Federation of the Republic of Kazakhstan was established in 1992 to develop this Olympic sport in the country.