Section 8: Safety Considerations
8.1 Court and Equipment Safety
The court surface must be non-slip and uniformly flat. Goals must be anchored securely to prevent tipping. All court markings must use non-toxic, non-slip paint or tape. The ball must be in good condition with no protruding seams.
8.2 Player Safety
- Jewellery, watches, and hard accessories are prohibited to prevent lacerations and injuries during contact.
- Fingernails must be kept short.
- Glasses must be secured with a sports strap or replaced with sport-specific eyewear.
- Mouthguards, soft knee pads, and elbow pads are recommended, especially for youth players.
- Head protection is allowed if it conforms to the IHF specifications (soft, form-fitting).
8.3 Medical Provisions
A qualified medical team must be present at all sanctioned matches. A player who is bleeding must leave the court immediately and may only return once the bleeding has stopped and the wound is securely covered. The referees may order an injured player to leave the court if continuing would be dangerous to the player or others. Each team is permitted one team official to enter the court for medical attention during a stoppage.
8.4 Resin Considerations
Where resin is permitted, venues must provide cleaning materials and designate areas for resin application. The floor around the substitution area and officials' table must be cleaned regularly to prevent slip hazards from resin residue. Some venues ban resin entirely due to facility maintenance concerns, and teams must comply with local venue policy.
8.5 Goalkeeper Safety
Goalkeepers face particular injury risks due to close-range shots at speeds exceeding 100 km/h (62 mph). While no special protective equipment is mandated beyond the standard jersey, goalkeepers may wear a soft groin protector, long-sleeved jersey, and padded shorts. Goalkeepers are not permitted to wear hard-shell protection (cricket-style pads, helmets, or rigid guards) as these could injure attacking players during contact at the goal area.
8.6 Venue Requirements
IHF-sanctioned competitions require a minimum ceiling height of 7 m (23 ft) above the playing surface. Lighting must provide a minimum of 1,500 lux uniformly across the court for televised events and 500 lux for lower-tier competitions. Spectator barriers must maintain a minimum distance from the court boundaries. The venue must provide separate warm-up areas for both teams, anti-doping control stations, and media facilities at major tournaments.