Beach Handball-IHF changes rules to allow women to wear shorts

Ministers from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden asked the IHF in September to review its uniform rules "in accordance with gender equality". The section relating to women's uniforms in the IHF rulebook has ditched the reference to bikini bottoms and now reads: "Female athletes must wear short tight pants with a close fit" while they can also wear "body fit tank tops".


Reuters | Updated: 01-11-2021 14:56 IST | Created: 01-11-2021 14:42 IST
Beach Handball-IHF changes rules to allow women to wear shorts
Representative image Image Credit: Pixabay

The International Handball Federation (IHF) has changed its rules regarding women's uniforms to allow beach handball players to wear shorts instead of bikini bottoms following complaints that the previous regulations were sexist. Norway's beach handball team was fined 1,500 euros ($1,735) by the European Handball Federation in July for being "improperly dressed" after the women wore shorts instead of bikini bottoms at the European championship.

Norway's sports minister Abid Raja said the situation was "completely ridiculous" and that attitudes needed to change, while U.S. singer Pink said she was proud of the team and also offered https://twitter.com/pink/status/1419127641068630016 to pay the fines. Ministers from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden asked the IHF in September to review its uniform rules "in accordance with gender equality".

The section relating to women's uniforms in the IHF rulebook has ditched the reference to bikini bottoms and now reads: "Female athletes must wear short tight pants with a close fit" while they can also wear "body fit tank tops". Male athletes are allowed to wear shorts that are "not too baggy" but must remain 10 centimeters above the kneecap.

($1 = 0.8648 euros)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Give Feedback