OLYMPIC HISTORY

The International Amateur Handball Federation was founded in 1928 and by 1936 had 23 members, enough to convince the IOC to add it to the Olympic programme that year, with 11 players in each team.

Handball then disappeared from the Olympiad until Munich in 1972, when only men played, and 1976 for women. Since then it has become very popular, with eight million players registered from about 150 nations.

Europe have dominated the sport in recent times though South Korean women won the title in 1988 and 1992. At the 1996 Games, Denmark and South Korea were tied at the final buzzer in the women's final. In extra time, Denmark pulled ahead.

In Sydney, Sweden, the world champions, are favourites for the title, with Russia and Yugoslavia the biggest threat, while Denmark, the defending women's champions, will face tough opposition once again from South Korea and Norway.