Team Handball is one of the most popular sports Special Olympics offers. It is played on a court slightly larger than the size of a basketball court and is often described as water polo on dry land. Special Olympics athletes demonstrate agility, flexibility, quickness, body control and strength. Special Olympics Team Handball offers individual skills competition to allow athletes to train and compete in basic team handball skills. The development of these key skills is necessary prior to advancing to team competition. These skills include target pass, 10-meter dribble and shoot.

Special Olympics athletes can also participate in Unified Sports® Team Handball Competition. Special Olympics Unified Sports is a program that combines Special Olympics athletes and athletes without intellectual disabilities (partners) on sports teams for training and competition.

In Unified Sports Team Handball, a team shall never exceed four athletes and three partners. Each team shall have a non playing head coach responsible for the line-up and conduct of the team during competition.

As in all Special Olympics sports, athletes are grouped in competition divisions according to ability level, age and gender.

Team Handball Facts

• Team Handball was introduced at the 1991 Special Olympics World Summer Games.
• At the 1999 Special Olympics World Summer Games 127 athletes from eight Programs competed in team handball.
• 145 athletes from 14 Programs competed in team handball at the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Dublin, Ireland.
• Today 4646 athletes from SOMENA region compete in team handball.
• The MENA region participated in 2003 World Games, Ireland 2003, for the first time ever with 3 teams from Egypt, Algeria and Mauritania.

Team Handball Events

• Team Competition
• 5-A-Side Team Handball
• Unified Sports Team Competition
• Individual Skills Competition

The following events provide meaningful competition for athletes with lower ability levels:

• Target Pass
• 10-meter dribble
• Shoot