Handball
Three seconds, three steps and dribbling in handball
How an indoor handball player may control and move the ball under IHF Rule 7: the three-second limit, the three-step limit, legal dribbling and illegal repeated contact.
Hold the ball for no more than three seconds
A court player may hold the ball for a maximum of 3 seconds, including when the ball is lying on the floor. Keeping control for longer normally gives the opponents a free throw.
Take no more than three steps
After receiving the ball from another player or catching it after a bounce, a player may take a maximum of 3 steps. Since the rule amendment effective 1 July 2025, landing with one foot or both feet simultaneously after receiving or catching the ball while airborne does not itself count as a step.
Dribble, then the limits start again
A player may bounce the ball once and catch it, dribble repeatedly with one hand, or roll it repeatedly with one hand. Once the ball is held again in one or both hands, it must be played within 3 seconds or after no more than 3 steps.
Repeated contact and the double-dribble idea
After the ball has been controlled, a player may not touch it more than once unless it has touched the floor, another player or the goal in between. A genuine fumble while trying to catch or stop the ball is not punished as repeated control. These rules apply to court players in indoor handball; the goalkeeper has different movement privileges inside the goal area.