Women’s beach handball team fined for choosing shorts over bikini

(CNN) – The Norwegian women’s beach handball team was fined after the players opted to wear shorts instead of bikini during a match at the European championship.

The European Handball Federation (EHF) said Monday it imposed a fine of 1,500 euros (US $ 1,766) – 150 euros (US $ 176) for each player – on the team for wearing “inappropriate clothing” during Sunday’s game against Spain for the bronze medal.

The team’s decision to wear shorts did not comply with uniform regulations “defined in the IHF Beach Handball Laws of the Game,” EFH said in a statement.

According to regulations of the International Handball Federation (IHF), female athletes must wear bikini bottoms with a side width of a maximum of 10 centimeters, with a “snug fit” and a “cut angled up towards the top of the leg. leg”. “

Meanwhile, men should wear shorts that are “not too baggy” and 4 inches above the kneecap.

The team’s coach, Eskil Berg Andreassen, told CNN on Tuesday that uniform regulations could deter women from playing the sport.

He said the team knew there would be a fine because they had fought for the right to use bikini alternatives for “several years.”

Andreassen said the uniform regulation was “somewhat difficult for many players,” adding: “Maybe they will walk away from the sport and choose another sport.”

Andreassen indicated that the Norwegian team wants women to be able to choose their clothes.

“It should be possible to choose – not to say they have to play like this. If someone wants to play in a bikini, they have the right to choose,” he said.

He also warned that the IHF uniform regulations could discourage women who do not want to wear bikini bottoms, including women from Muslim-majority countries.

“We also have to make a decision about Arab girls: how can we get more Arab girls to participate in these kinds of sports.”

Andreassen said uniforms that cover “most of the body” should also be allowed to appeal to women, not only in beach handball but in other sports such as soccer.

“We see in beach handball that girls from Arab countries are doing quite well – Oman, Kuwait … also Pakistan. But we never see an Arab women’s team, they are not playing beach handball,” she said.

“Enough is enough”

The Norwegian Handball Association (NHF) said on Twitter Tuesday: “We are very proud of these girls who during the European Championship raised their voices and announced that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.”

“We at the NHF stand behind and support them. Together we will continue to fight to change the clothing regulations so that players can play in whatever clothing they feel comfortable in,” added the NHF.

In a joint statement issued Tuesday, the IHF and EHF said they “are committed to the popularization of beach handball. All contributions in this regard and measures that will support the ambitions of this attractive sport are supported.”

The federations said that the issue of women’s uniforms had already been discussed at the EHF Congress in April 2021, and that the matter would be dealt with by the newly elected Beach Handball Commission in August.

CNN has reached out to the EHF and IHF for further comment.

The clothing of elite athletes has come under scrutiny recently.

On Sunday, double Paralympic world champion Olivia Breen revealed she was “speechless” when an English Championship official told the double Paralympic world champion that her sprint shorts were “too short and inappropriate.”

CNN’s Li-Lian Ahlskog Hou contributed reporting.