Handball Rules: Player Fouls and Game Sanctions

Handball Player Restrictions and Fouls

Players are subject to the following restrictions and are not allowed to:

1. Hold the ball for more than 3 seconds.
2. Touch the ball with any part of the leg below the knee, including their feet, unless the ball has been deliberately thrown at them.
3. Touch the ball more than once consecutively unless the ball touches the ground, touches another player, touches the goal, or is fumbled.
4. Intentionally play the ball over the sideline or goal line; however, the goalie may block a shot out of bounds.
5. Field players are not allowed to dive for a ball that is on the ground. Only the goalie is allowed to dive for the ball, and they must be within their goal area.
6. Engage in Passive Play, which occurs when a team tries to stall the game and does not attempt to move the ball to score. The opposing team is awarded a free throw from where the ball was when the referee called Passive Play.
7. Impede the progress of an opposing player by using their hands, arms, or legs. This includes tripping, running into, holding, hitting, or jumping on an opposing player.
8. Cause danger to any other player while in possession of the ball.
9. Offensive players, also known as attacking players, are not allowed to charge into a defender.
10. Attacking players are allowed to shoot while airborne above the goal area, but they must throw the ball before they land.
11. Field players are not allowed to pass through the goal area to gain a better scoring or defensive position.

Handball Sanctions and Penalties

Illegal actions by players are subject to a set of sanctions determined by the referee, which include:

1. Penalty (7-Meter Throw)

This sanction is awarded when:

• A foul prevents a clear chance to score a goal.
• The goalie carries the ball back into their own goal area.
• A court player intentionally passes the ball to their own goalie in the goal area, and the goalie touches the ball.

2. Free Throw

For a minor foul or violation, a free throw is awarded to the opponents at the exact spot where the infraction occurred. If the foul takes place between the goal area line and the 9-meter line, the throw is taken from the nearest point outside the 9-meter line. All players on the team taking a free throw must be outside the 9-meter line. Opponents must maintain a 3-meter distance from the ball when the throw is taken.

3. Disciplinary Sanctions

In addition to potential injury time, the referee may impose other disciplinary sanctions:

• Warning (Oral): The player receives an oral caution.
• Warning (Yellow Card): The player is shown a yellow card.
• Exclusion (2-Minute Suspension): Imposed after a yellow card for a subsequent illegal action. This excludes the player from the field for 2 minutes. A player receiving a third exclusion will be disqualified.
• Disqualification: The player is removed from the field but may re-enter later in the game.
• Expulsion: The player is permanently removed from the field and cannot be replaced by another player, meaning the team plays short. This sanction is imposed directly for serious incidents.