Pink (remember her?) well she has just offered to pay for the fine issued to Norway’s beach handball team because they chose to wear shorts instead of *checks notes* bikini bottoms???
A story recently went viral about the Norwegian beach handball team, who wanted to wear shorts instead of the butt-cheek exposing bikini bottoms they were usually forced to wear. Completely fair, if you ask me
Unfortunately, the European Handball Federation (EHF) said in a statement that the shorts worn in the game against Spain were “not according to the Athlete Uniform Regulations defined in the IHF Beach Handball Rules of the game”. The team were then fined 150 euros per player ($2,407 AUD altogether).
Please note: the tweet below misidentifies the sport as beach volleyball.
THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST RIDICULOUS THINGS I HAVE READ IN A YEAR AND ITS BEEN THE MOST RIDICULOUS YEAR OF NEWS IN DECADES. Smash the fucking patriarchy. https://t.co/XQd8IBaWkN
— ❤️ Jameela Jamil ❤️ She/Her ❤️ (@jameelajamil) July 18, 2021
Thankfully, icon Pink has come to the rescue and offered to pay the collective fine.
“I’m very proud of the Norwegian female beach handball team for protesting the very sexist rules about their ‘uniform’,” she wrote.
“The European Handball Federation should be fined for sexism. Good on ya, ladies. I’ll be happy to pay for your fines. Keep it up.”
Norwegian Sports Minister Abid Raja even thanked Pink for her offer and said he hopes that with support “we can change this stupid rule”.
Thankyou for your support P!nk! As Minister of sports and equality in Norway I have sent letter to all nordic ministers of sports for a joint statement to support our women. I hope all the fans and friends you have give all their support as well,so we can change this stupid rule! https://t.co/18O5ugC2MD
— Abid Raja (@abidraja) July 25, 2021
Raja has previously been vocal about the EHF’s decision to fine the team on Twitter, calling it “completely ridiculous.”
However, the EHF have defended their decision and said that they were already going to discuss the option of wearing shorts at their next meeting.
“The matter was already discussed at the EHF Congress in April 2021 upon a motion of the Norwegian Handball Federation,” an online statement read.
“The 50 EHF Member Federations including the Norwegian Handball Federation, and in the presence of the President of the International Handball Federation (IHF), decided that the newly elected Beach Handball Commission at their first meeting in August will deal with the topic and will table suggestions which subsequently can be presented to the International Handball Federation.”
