Receiver’s restraining line
The short version
The line behind which the receiver waits until the ball is struck.
From the rulebook
Lines and zones Handball courts shall be divided and marked on the floors with 2-inch wide lines. Recommended colors are white or red. The lines shall be marked as follows: 1) Short line. The short line is parallel to the front and back walls. Its outside edge is 20 feet from the front wall. 2) Service line. The service line is parallel to the short line and its outside edge is 5 feet in front of the outside edge of the short line. 3) Service zone. The service zone is the area between the outer…
— Four-wall · Rule 2.1 Courts
Related
Where it shows up
- One-wall · Rule 3.7 Appeals …, or a replay. After the rally has ended, either player may also appeal faults, restraining line violations, and skip serves not called. If the appeal is upheld, the player is …
- Four-wall · Rule 2.1 Courts … measurements of 18 inches from, and parallel to, each side wall. 5) Receiver’s restraining lines. Five feet back of the outside edge of the short line, lines should be marked o…
- Four-wall · Rule 3.7 Appeals …d or replayed. After the rally has ended, either player may also appeal faults, restraining line violations, and skip serves not called. If the appeal is upheld, the player is …
- Four-wall · Rule 4.4 Return of Serve … stand at least five feet behind the short line, as indicated by the receiver’s restraining lines, until the ball is hit by the server. Any violation of this rule results in a p…
Ref questions
The receiver contacts the serve in front of the short/receiving line.
Answer: Illegal — point for the server
Contacting the serve in front of the receiving line is a point for the server.
The receiver swings at and misses the serve; it bounces twice behind the short line.
Answer: Receiver may not — the rally is lost? No: ball stays in play once swung
By swinging the receiver elects to play it and the ball remains in play (must return before two bounces).
The receiver may not cross the receiving line until:
Answer: The served ball passes the short line / receiving line
Wait for the serve to pass the receiving line.