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Recent studies have revealed that sport activity is a protective factor regarding smoking, but a risk factor for alcohol abuse. Considering these findings, it is necessary to investigate the occurrence of substance misuse. Sports that are associated with a substantial amount of physical/mental stress are very interesting from the perspective of substance misuse (e.g., handball). This research was performed to more closely study the population engaged in handball regarding the risk for alcohol and/or tobacco consumption. The sample of respondents consisted of 150 senior handball players who were members of 9 first-league handball clubs from Croatia and abroad. The respondents were grouped into sub-samples according to sex, age, experience, the number of weekly training sessions and their social environment (clubs). Alcohol consumption data were obtained using the AUDIT questionnaire. The differences between groups were tested using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. The study revealed that handball players engaged in alcohol misuse, and they were grouped in the harmful drinking category (AUDIT score, 16-19 for all groups). Regarding tobacco product consumption, the risk groups were women (who smoked significantly more than men, MWU test: Z = 3.30. p < 0.001), handball players with less experience (who smoked significantly more than experienced players, MWU test: Z = 3.68, p < 0.001). Borderline significance was observed for the impact made by social environments, and age was not a significant predictor of tobacco consumption. Regarding alcohol consumption, the highest hazard group were national handball players, who drank much more than foreign players did (MWU test: Z = 2.04, p = 0.04); however, sex, age, experience and training habits were not alcohol consumption predictors in handball. This study reveal that the typical behaviors regarding alcohol and tobacco consumption followed by the general population do not apply to handball players. Targeted prevention can be much more precisely established considering this research.

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SUMMARYWe have analysed fifteen matches played by the male Croatian national handball team at the World Championship in Tunisia in 2005 and those played at the European Championship in Austria in 2010. The research has been conducted with the purpose of establishing the frequency of shooting from certain zones, i.e. from the attacking positions, the frequency of rebounded balls off the goal keeper or off the goal frame, as well as establishing where or who to the performed shots rebound. The field for the position game was divided into five zones: the left wing player, the left back player, the middle back player, the right back player and the right wing player. The mentioned zones also represent the rebounding zones. The results have shown that most shots were performed from the central zone, while the frequency of shooting from other zones was mostly equally disposed. The average number of the balls rebounded off the goal keeper or the goal frame is 17.6 balls. In 71% of the cases, the rebounded balls end in the possession of defence players which is the consequence of their close position in relation to the ball. The biggest number of rebounded balls (40%) returns to the central zone. By the χ 2 test we established that the largest number of shots performed from a certain zone rebounds in the same zone, or, in rare cases, in the nearby zone. This greatly depends on the shooting angle, which is mostly in a straight line in relation to the goal, and on the goal keeper's position in relation to the ball. The research implies the need for practising this game segment during handball training by the means of specific and situation training exercises.