The Handball Bundesliga (HBL) will introduce video evidence for the 2023/24 season. The decision was made at the HBL meeting in Cologne.
The video evidence is to be used, among other things, when deciding on the validity of a hit. Other situations are red cards and serious and unfair actions, which explicitly include simulating.
The video images can also be consulted if the referees have doubts about a decision. The same applies to actions within the last 30 seconds of a game if they are decisive for the outcome of the game.
First VAR first appearance in the Supercup
In all cases, without exception, the referees are entitled to request the video evidence. The referees are assisted by a specialist who provides the images in question.
The first use of the new technology is the Supercup on August 23 in Düsseldorf, where champion THW Kiel meets cup winner Rhein-Neckar Löwen. In the past, the video evidence had already been used in the final tournaments of the cup competition.