The country needs new rules

New season, new challenges and this year new rules. After the International Handball Federation (IHF) made several changes to the rules of the sport this summer, there are also some modifications in the German Bundesliga.

A thrower can now be given a time penalty if the goalkeeper is hit in the head from a free play or throwing situation. Previously, headshots against non-moving goalkeepers and defenders from a direct free throw could be punished with a red card.

The change is a continuation of the approach taken in previous years to discourage unsportsmanlike conduct and better protect players. Lately, therefore, pushing in the air has been punished more progressively and defensive behavior on the outside positions has been more focused. Increasingly, a touch on defense – especially when done while moving – was punishable by a two-minute penalty.

“As an active player, I would have thought that was great. Now I sometimes find it exaggerated. The ridge is narrow. After all, we don’t want to develop into a disembodied game,” says former world-class left winger Stefan Kretzschmar, who is now a sports director at Foxes Berlin but is also an expert at pay-TV channel Sky. “Of course you should avoid the risk of injury. But we are a contact sport and I want it to stay that way because it is a trademark of our sport,” says Kretzschmar.

A hallmark of handball is also the increasing pace of the sport, which is why some changes have been made and technically upgraded. Starting this season, the time-out buzzer is used, with which the coaches call for a one-minute break when their team is in possession of the ball, instead of having to submit the green card to the referee, who then whistles. “There are no two opinions. That’s great,” Kretzschmar supports the adjustment, which will initially only be introduced for men and initially only in the first division. For the lower house, the introduction is planned from the second half of the season, for women there is no date yet.

Another technical innovation is the video evidence, which is available to the referee teams in the HBL from this season to check suspensions, goal decisions and substitution errors. “This is also a further development that is absolutely necessary and sensible. That’s why I’m a clear supporter of it,” says Kretzschmar, who isn’t worried that the analysis using images from the lead camera will lead to annoying delays, as is sometimes the case with video assistants in soccer.

“But then it should be the case that the referees have absolute decision-making authority. I don’t want to see players constantly asking for video evidence,” says the 49-year-old.

There is now a four-diameter throwing circle

Kretzschmar is excited to see how the change in the throw-on zone develops. “It’s a good change, but it will be a big challenge for the referees. They have to be more on the ball there,” says the Berliner. Previously, the player taking the shot had to have one foot on the center line when the whistle was blown again after a goal. Since July 1, this process can now be carried out while moving in a throw-on circle, which should have a diameter of four meters.

This is intended to increase the tempo even more via the so-called fast middle, as it was introduced in 1997 and especially through the further development in 2001. “I don’t want to say that it will be similarly revolutionary, but that can change the game,” says Kretzschmar, who can well imagine that one or the other tactically experienced coach will come up with new concepts for the second and third waves based on this .

He also sees the fourth rule change, which relates to passive play, as tactically challenging. While the 2016 reform introduced six passes allowed after showing time play, the number has now been reduced to four. “There will be a lot more panic,” warns Kretzschmar. Because: Six passes still allow a coordinated attack, but now the offensive actions are clearly restricted.

The problem up until now was that provoked free throws could prolong the time of an attack and the flow of the game became sluggish. Kretzschmar also sees it that way, but he was also able to observe with his foxes in the preparation that the changeover still poses a certain challenge for the players. “They didn’t really have it on the roll and then made the technical mistake,” reports Kretzschmar. “That will now have to be practiced. It’s going to be more stressful.”

Overall, however, the 218-time national player agrees with the adjustments, although he would not mind if the seventh field player introduced six years ago were shelved again. “But the problem of our sport is still our dependence on the referees. The rules could be defined even more clearly to protect the referees or take them out of the game,” says Kretzschmar, who is satisfied with the referees in Germany. Although there are qualitative differences between the individual couples, the development is positive.

“And honestly, I wouldn’t want to do this job. They must have a very thick skin. We should definitely be a lot more of a role model from the club side and I don’t think we always treat the whistlers as respectfully as they deserve,” notes Kretzschmar. That would also be a challenge for everyone involved in the new season. As well as all the rule changes to be aware of.