Fact or Fiction? Examining the Veracity of Common Myths Related to 7-meter Throws in Handball

There are several long-standing beliefs that persist in sport despite little or no evidence of them being true. The aim of this study was to assess the veracity of two such beliefs related to 7-meter (7-m) throws in handball: 1) that the fouled players should not take their own 7-m shots as their ability to score is compromised, and 2) that changing the 7-m shooter after a miss is more likely to lead to a goal than letting the player who missed try again. To assess the veracity of these beliefs 10,593 7-m shots from the Icelandic elite division were analyzed using a Bayesian three-level analysis. The results revealed that neither taking your own 7-m shot after being fouled nor taking a 7-m shot after missing the attempt appeared to have a negative effect on the outcome of 7-m shots. Coaches should therefore be able to let their most proficient 7-m shooters take any 7-m shot, regardless of preceding events, without any functional cost.