SPORTS

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

Jul 21, 2021, 9:24 AM

Dave and Dujanovic will speak to SLCC’s head women’s volleyball coach at 10:20 am

 (CNN) — The Norwegian women’s beach handball team has been fined after players opted to wear shorts instead of bikini bottoms during a European championship game.

The European Handball Federation (EHF) said Monday that it had imposed a fine of 1,500 euros ($1,766) — 150 euros ($176) for each player — on the team for “improper clothing” in the bronze medal game against Spain on Sunday.

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

According to International Handball Federation (IHF) regulations, female athletes must wear bikini bottoms with a side width a maximum of 10 centimeters (3.9 inches), with a “close fit” and “cut on an upward angle toward the top of the leg.”

Meanwhile, men must wear shorts that are “not too baggy” and 10 centimeters above the kneecap.

 

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

He said the team knew there would be a fine because they had been fighting for the right to wear alternatives to bikini bottoms for “several years.”

Andreassen said the uniform regulations were a “difficult thing for many players,” adding: “Maybe they will move away from the sport, and choose another sport.”

Andreassen said that the Norwegian team want women to be able to have a choice of what they wear.

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

He also warned that the IHF’s uniform regulations could be discouraging women who do not want to wear bikini briefs, including those from majority Muslim countries.

“We also have to take a decision about Arabic girls — how we can get more Arabic girls involved in these types of sport.”

Andreassen said uniforms that cover “most of the body” should also be allowed to attract women, not just in beach handball but in other sports like soccer.

“We see in beach handball that girls from Arabic countries do quite well — Oman, Kuwait… also Pakistan. But we never see an Arabic women’s team, they’re not playing beach handball,” he said.

‘Enough is enough’

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

“We at NHF stand behind and support you. Together we will continue to fight to change the clothing regulations, so that players are allowed to play in the clothes they are comfortable with,” the NHF added.

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

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

CNN has contacted the EHF and IHF for further comment.

Elite female athletes’ clothing has come under scrutiny recently.

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

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Sports

Utah Jazz Collin Sexton...

Ben Anderson

Jazz 3-18 Since Trade Deadline After Loss To Spurs

At 3-18 since the trade deadline, the Jazz now sit behind the 4-19 Portland Trail Blazers as the league’s worst team since February 8.

20 hours ago

Utah Utes players circle up before the women’s college basketball game against Weber State Univer...

Aimee Cobabe and Emma Keddington

FBI now involved in Utah Women’s Basketball racism investigation

Police in Idaho are working with the FBI to investigate an incident where racial slurs were yelled at the Utah Women's basketball team.

2 days ago

Utah Utes guard Ines Vieira (2) shoots the ball with Colorado Buffaloes guard Frida Formann (3) jum...

MICHELLE BODKIN

Utah women’s basketball team forced to move hotels after racial hate crimes during NCAA Tournament

The NCAA Tournament was supposed to be a fun experience for the University of Utah women's basketball team.

3 days ago

Attendees climb at the grand opening of an outdoor climbing wall outside of Millcreek City Hall on ...

Collin Leonard, KSL.com

Olympian and hopefuls break in Utah’s biggest outdoor climbing wall at Millcreek City Hall

The Millcreek City Hall opened a brand new climbing wall on Saturday. It's the tallest outdoor wall in Utah.

4 days ago

All smiles at the NCAA Tournament. on March 20, 2024....

MItch Harper

LISTEN: The vibe in Omaha ahead of BYU’s Dance debut

On Wednesday, BYU basketball completed its one open practice of the NCAA Tournament at the CHI Health Center.

8 days ago

BYU regularly has honored the "no Sunday" play rule in each tournament it's played in, but it's bei...

Mitch Harper

NCAA committee dropped BYU down to no. 6 seed because of ‘no Sunday’ rule

BYU basketball was the highest-rated 5-seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, yet they ended up with a 6-seed because the "no Sunday" rule.

11 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Mother and cute toddler child in a little fancy wooden cottage, reading a book, drinking tea and en...

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

front of the Butch Cassidy museum with a man in a cowboy hat standing in the doorway...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking Back: The History of Bear Lake

The history of Bear Lake is full of fascinating stories. At over 250,000 years old, the lake has seen generations of people visit its shores.

silhouette of a family looking over a lake with a bird in the top corner flying...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

8 Fun Activities To Do in Bear Lake Without Getting in the Water

Bear Lake offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy without having to get in the water. Catch 8 of our favorite activities.

Wellsville Mountains in the spring with a pond in the foreground...

Wasatch Property Management

Advantages of Renting Over Owning a Home

Renting allows you to enjoy luxury amenities and low maintenance without the long-term commitment and responsibilities of owning a home.

Clouds over a red rock vista in Hurricane, Utah...

Wasatch Property Management

Why Southern Utah is a Retirement Paradise

Retirement in southern Utah offers plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities. Find out all that this region has to offer.

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