A classic television ad campaign for the Nair hair removal product line famously asked, “Who wears short shorts?” It turns out this week’s answer to that famous query is “not the Norwegian women’s handball team,” and they paid the price for it.
Sporting bottoms that reached mid-thigh rather than bikini-style at the European Beach Handball Championships, the team drew an “improper clothing” fine from the European Handball Federation.
The fine was $177 per player for a total of $1,770.
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“The Disciplinary Commission at the Beach Handball EURO 2021 has dealt with a case of improper clothing,” read a statement from the International Handball Federation, whose rulebook requires that women wear bikini bottoms during competition.
“In the bronze medal game against Spain on Sunday the team of Norway played with shorts that are not according to the Athlete Uniform Regulations defined in the IHF Beach Handball Rules of the Game,” it added.
In response, Norway’s Handball Federation supported their players’ choice of attire on an Instagram post and said it would pay the fine.
“We are very proud of these girls who are at the European Championships in beach handball,” it said in a statement. “They raised their voice and told us that enough is enough.
“We are the Norwegian Handball Federation and we stand behind you and support you. We will continue to fight to change the international regulations for attire, so that players can play in the clothing they are comfortable with,” it added.
Norway has been campaigning to change the uniform regulations at the IHF for the past 15 years.
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