Handball

Beijing recap

France defeated Iceland 28-32 in the men's final, to win the last gold medal of the Beijing Games. Nikola Karabatic led the scoring for France with eight goals. Despite the loss, Iceland still had reason to celebrate. Its silver medal was the nation's best showing in any event since 1956. Iceland has never won an Olympic gold medal.

On the women's side, Norway jumped out to an 8-1 lead and cruised to a 34-27 victory over world champion Russia for the nation's first-ever Olympic gold medal in handball. For Norway, it was sweet redemption after falling to the Russians in the final of the 2007 Worlds. Said Norway's Goreil Snorroeggen: "Today, Russia were not on the same level as us. It was a good day to meet them." 

Handballs used in the Olympic Games are multi-paneled and made of leather.

More on Olympic handball

Teams: In handball, each team has seven athletes on the court at one time (six players and a goalie).

Participants: An Olympic handball team's roster comprises 14 players. All 14 players may be used through the course of the game.

Duration:  game consists of two 30-minute halves, separated by a 10-minute halftime. At halftime, teams swap sides and team benches.

Time outs: Each team is allowed one 60-second timeout per half. A timeout may be called by the team in possession by presenting a green card to the scorers' table. Injuries, suspensions and penalty throws also result in referee timeouts. A timeout may also be called if a player is injured, if the court needs to be wiped, or if the ball is deflected far off the court.

Scoring: A goal, worth one point regardless of from where it is scored, is registered when the ball passes under the crossbar, between the uprights, and completely over the goal line.

Overtime: There will be no overtime in pool play, but OT will be used from the quarterfinals on, and in all classification games. The following overtime system will be used:
1) After regulation, there will be a five-minute intermission, during which the teams change ends. Then comes a 10-minute overtime consisting of two five-minute periods, between which the teams switch ends (there is a one-minute intermission). If the score remains tied after the first 10-minute overtime.
2) A five-minute break will be taken, followed by a second 10-minute overtime, with the same format. If the score remains tied after the second 10-minute overtime.
3) The game will be decided by penalty throws. Each team chooses five players to attempt the throws. Goalkeepers may be changed at will. Once the referees decide which goal shall be used, a coin toss will decide which team throws first. If the game is still tied after the completion of the first round of five throws for each team, a sudden death session begins. An end is achieved when one team has more goals than the other and both teams have taken an equal number of throws. Teams can call on players that threw in the first-round of penalty throws (but an individual can only repeat once every five times). Players who have been sent off, disqualified or excluded earlier in the game are not allowed to take penalty throws.