The five-week event, which began on June 26 and concluded on July 25, included 20 lectures for coaches, referees, delegates, teachers and handball fans.

According to the IHF, more than 2.8 million users around the world were reached on Facebook and at least 377,000 unique viewers tuned in to part of the event.

More than 10,000 people registered for the symposium, which was also streamed on the videconferencing platform Zoom.

It served as launch of the IHF Virtual Academy, a "new and innovative part for the worldwide education for coaches, referees, delegates, teachers and handball fans", according to IHF Playing Rules and Referees Commission chairman Ramon Gallego. 

"We have received very positive feedback from all continents," IHF Commission for Coaching and Methods chairman Dietrich Späte said.

"Even after the live presentations, the individual lecturers are still very often called up on-demand in the library of the IHF Education Centre.

"Of course, this was only the start.

"The next series of events will follow from 17 to 22 August.

"In the ‘IHF Children's Handball Week’, handball experts will explain concepts and practical examples of how children between the ages of six and 12 can be won over to playing handball. 

"We are planning another series of events for talent training with young people between the ages of 13 and 18."