Fact or fiction? Examining the veracity of common myths relating 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 throws in handball: 1) that the fouled players should not take their own 7-meter shots as their ability to score is compromised, and 2) that changing the 7-meter 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 8,759 7-meter shots from the Icelandic elite division were analysed using a Bayesian three-level analysis. The results revealed that neither taking your own 7-meter shot after being fouled nor taking a 7-meter shot after missing the attempt appeared to have a negative effect on the outcome of 7-meter shots.