As well as being consulted directly over decisions, referees will have access to footage relating to incidents that have taken place outside their field of vision.

The International Handball Federation (IHF) introduced a video proof system at the 2015 Men's World Championship, but at the Women's World Championship held later that year in Denmark the system was abandoned after three days when an official failed to allow what should have been a goal for South Korea.

He was shown the wrong piece of goal-line video footage relating to the ball bouncing down over the line off the bar during a game against France.

The refined system being used at the forthcoming Championship - in which the hosts get the defence of their title underway in the opening match against Brazil on on Wednesday (January 11) - will have a wider remit than the original one.

"The most important change is the direct participation of the referees in the final decision, until now only the IHF official had the right to take a decision," an IHF official told insidethegames.

"We have reinforced one situation: when a serious and unfair action happens outside the field of view of the referees.

"The IHF wants to avoid any negative image of our sport."

The IHF spokesman added: "In Denmark what happened was a mixture of human and technology mistakes. 

"Now IHF has selected a new company from several applicants, Broadcast Solutions, from Germany, the same company which is now working with FIFA.

“The protocol to follow in each case is now very strict, the referees and officials must follow it. 

"In most of the cases only the referees will be the responsible of the final decision, the official can help only if necessary.

"So the quality and the security is guaranteed. 

"With the direct participation of the referees in the procedure, together with the officials, we can be assured of the correct final decisions."

The revamped video proof system is the latest in a series of innovations to have been introduced within the last year by the IHF, which trialed five rule changes, including a key shift on making it easier to substitute outfield players for goalkeepers, in time for last summer's Rio 2016 Olympics.

The other changes involve players treated on court having to leave the action for their team's next three attacks; teams deemed guilty of "passive play" having to take a shot after a maximum of six passes; players committing fouls in the final 30 seconds being disqualified and a seven-metre throw going to the opposition; and the introduction of a blue card to be shown to disqualified players who will face further action by the Disciplinary Committee.

The IHF official added that the extent of the video proof system had been enlarged since 2015.

"We'll use the video proof in some new cases," he said.

"When referees are not sure if a player deserves a red or a blue card.

"Situations when referees have strong doubts in relation with the last 30 seconds rule involving the red card and seven-metres throws.

"Situations in the last 30 seconds of the match when the defending team has no goalkeeper; if the referees are not sure if the decision must be a seven-metres throw or not.

"The last two cases only when the situation is crucial for the final score of the match."

The technology will also embrace the areas involved in the last Men's World Championship - it will be used for goal-line technology, and to check if the ball crossed the goal line before or after the final buzzer of each half of the game.

Find the full Big Read on the IHF World Championship here.