Norwegian sports circles and commentators were indignant on Tuesday at the fine imposed by European sports bodies on beach handball players who defied the regulations by giving up playing in a bikini.
The disciplinary commission of the European Handball Federation (EHF) on Monday imposed a fine of 1,500 euros on the Norwegian team, or 150 euros per player, for violating international rules.
Pattern?
The Scandinavians had worn shorts rather than the regulatory bikini when they met, lost, against Spain for the bronze medal at the European beach handball championship on Sunday in Varna (Bulgaria).
"
Such a macho vision of women belongs to another era,
" indignant a Norwegian regional newspaper on Tuesday in its editorial.
In 2021, it shouldn't even be a topic
Eirik Sørdahl, President of the Norwegian Volleyball Federation.
"
In 2021, it should not even be a subject,
" added the president of the Norwegian Volleyball Federation, Eirik Sørdahl, to the national agency NTB.
The question of clothing has agitated beach sports circles for years, where players consider bikini degrading or impractical.
If the wearing of a bikini is no longer compulsory for beach volleyball players since 2012, the regulations of the International Handball Federation stipulate that "
the players must wear bikini bottoms (...) adjusted and notched
".
"
The sides must be at most 10cm wide
", it says.
As of Monday, the Norwegian Minister of Culture, Abid Raja, in charge of sports issues, protested against the fine.
“
It's completely ridiculous,
” he tweeted.
“
Bug, that attitude changes are necessary in the international macho and conservative world of sport.
"
Ahead of the European Championship, Norway had contacted the European Federation to ask for permission to play in shorts, but was only told that breaches of regulations were punishable by fine.
After complying with the rules for most of the championship, the Norwegians decided to play their last match in shorts.
While it is "
committed to advancing this subject in the interest of its member federations
", the European Federation argued that "
a change of the rules can only occur at the level of the IHF (the international federation, editor's note)
”.