# Rule 2.3 Gloves (USHA Four-Wall Rules, 22 January 2021, historical)

> **Historical rulebook: not the current rules.** The current rules are here: https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/

USHA rules text used with permission of the U.S. Handball Association (ushandball.org); credit: U.S. Handball Association. Source: https://www.ushandball.org/

## A. General

Gloves must be worn to keep the ball dry.

## B. Style

The usual hitting surfaces of the glove must be light in color and made of a soft material or leather with wetness easily detected by visual inspection. The fingers may not be webbed, connected or removed. Any gloves which provide an unfair advantage are not allowed, and must be replaced at the referee’s direction.

## C. Foreign substances

No foreign substance, tape, or rubber bands shall be used on the fingers or on the palms on the outside of the gloves. Metal or hard substances may not be worn under the glove if, in the opinion of the referee, such creates an unfair advantage.

> Part 2, Rule 2.3.C: Interpretation No. 2: A player should be allowed to protect a bone bruise on the hand. If some kind of thin bandaging material is not sufficient, the player should be allowed to use a coin or some other type of hard material, so long as the referee does not believe it creates an unfair advantage, in which case the material would be disallowed. Any such protection must be worn under the glove and must be approved by the referee before play begins.

## D. Wet Gloves

Gloves must be changed when they become sufficiently wet to moisten the ball. This is the referee’s decision. Gloves with holes that expose the skin may not be worn. It is the player’s responsibility to have an ample supply of dry gloves.

## Mentioned here

- [Player](https://handball.theperfectship.com/player.md)
- [Referee](https://handball.theperfectship.com/match-referee.md)
- [Ball](https://handball.theperfectship.com/ball.md)
- [Gloves](https://handball.theperfectship.com/gloves.md)

How this rule changed: [wording in every rulebook](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/clause-history/code-onewall-smallball/2-3.md)

## Relationships

- Player relates to Referee: mentioned together in 29 sub-rules.
- Player relates to Ball: mentioned together in 25 sub-rules.
- Player relates to Gloves: mentioned together in 7 sub-rules.
- Referee relates to Ball: mentioned together in 16 sub-rules.
- Referee relates to Gloves: mentioned together in 6 sub-rules.
- Ball relates to Gloves: mentioned together in 5 sub-rules.

Rulebook: [USHA Four-Wall Rules, 22 January 2021](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/usha-fourwall-2021-01-22.md)

Source: Four-Wall Rulebook (Wayback capture 20210228100541 of ushandball.org). USHA rules text, used with the USHA's written permission (letter not yet filed).