Brazilian handball moves closer to the world’s leading powers
The country of football is not yet a leader in the sport, but it is no longer a novice
Best player of 2012, Daniel Narcisse of France jumps ahead of Gonzalo Matias Carou of Argentina during the Men's Handball Preliminary match on Day 4 of the London Olympic Games (Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
After issuing special articles about sports such as athletics, judo, swimming, shooting, triathlon, volleyball, beach volleyball, basketball, modern penthatlon, boccia, goalball and paracanoe, paratriathlon, boxe, taekwondo and wrestling, Rio 2016™ will publish three exclusive pieces on handball, the most widely played sport in Brazilian schools and the most popular women’s team sport in Europe.
Handball was first played on grass, with 11 players on each side, in the 19th century in Germany and Scandinavia. Still using the old rules, the sport premiered at the Olympic Games in 1936 in Berlin, but it was subsequently dropped from the programme. Between 1936 and 1972, it was played just once, at the 1952 Games in Helsinki, as a demonstration sport. The modern version of handball, with seven athletes on each side, joined the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich for men, and the 1976 Montreal Games for women. Find out all about the sport here.
In our first special sports article of 2013, you can see an international overview of handball and read an interview with Alexandra Nascimento, elected the world’s best player and the best right winger at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Two professionals who are changing the shape of Brazilian handball will also feature in the publication: Spaniard Jordi Ribera, who is coaching the Brazilian men’s team; and Dane Morten Soubak, who is coaching the Brazilian women’s team.
To finish off, Rio 2016™ will republish an interview with Bruno Souza, a talented former player from Rio de Janeiro who was elected the third best player in the world in 2003, and who is now working at the Rio 2016™ Organising Committee’s NOC Relations and Olympic and Paralympic Village Department.
Programme of articles:
27 February
28 February
A hit in Scandinavia, handball shares the media’s attention with winter sports and football
01 March
Spaniard Jordi Ribera and Dane Morten Soubak help's Brazil progress in the sport
Observers’ Programme: Bruno Souza experiences the other side of the Olympic Village
