By Lori Perkins
In an awesome show of feminist solidarity, multiple Grammy Award-winner Pink said that she would gladly pay any fines levied against the female Norwegian Handball Team who defied sexist sports “tradition” by refusing to wear bikini bottoms at a recent completion in Bulgaria. The team played in shorts, like the male team does, instead of bikini bottoms at the recent competition.
The fine was leveled against the team at the European Beach Handball Championships in Bulgaria last week after the team wore shorts. The EHF said the moved violated “athlete uniform regulations” dictated by the sport’s international federation.
Pink tweeted that she is “VERY proud” of the team “FOR PROTESTING THE VERY SEXIST RULES ABOUT THEIR ‘uniform.’”
“Good on ya, ladies. I’ll be happy to pay your fines for you. Keep it up,” she shared, calling for the EHF to be fined over the team's punishment.
The European Handball Federation (EHF) issued a statement saying it donated the amount of the 1,500 euro fine, or approximately $1,770, to a “major international sports foundation which supports equality for women and girls in sports.”
This bikini bottom controversy comes on the heels of much discussion around Olympic uniforms where female athletes are required to wear skimpy attire, while the male team members in the same sport are dressed in more modest attire such as volleyball and gymnastics.
Pretty sure we are going to see a radical change in female uniforms come 2022!