Earlier this week, Norwegian women’s beach handball team was fined for wearing shorts instead of bikini bottoms at the Euro 2021 tournament. 

During their match against Spain in Bulgaria, the team wore thigh-length shorts, only to be fined 1,500 euros for “improper clothing,” according to a statement from the European Handball Association’s Disciplinary Commission.

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As per the International Handball Federation regulations, women are supposed to wear midriff-baring tops and bikini bottoms, while their male counterparts wear shorts no more than 4 inches above the knee.

“It’s not [appropriate clothing for] the activity when they are playing in the sand,” Norwegian Handball Federation President Kåre Geir Lio told NBC News. “The women’s team trains and competes in “what they want, like the boys” at home in Norway, but is subject to the International Handball Federation’s clothing rules when playing abroad,” he added.

“The team had petitioned to wear the shorts its players train in from the start of the tournament, but was threatened by the EHA with a fine or disqualification,” Leo said

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The team spontaneously decided to wear the shorts and see what happens.

“I got a message 10 minutes before the match that they would wear the clothing that they were satisfied with. And they got our full support,” Lio said.

The Norwegian women’s beach handball team garnered appreciation from social media users across the world for their move. 

On hearing the news about the fine, Norway’s Minister of Culture took to Twitter in response and wrote, “This is completely ridiculous! How many attitude changes are needed in the old-fashioned international patriarchy of sports?”

Pop-star Pink on Monday lauded the step taken by the team and offered to pay the fine in their stead. The singer-songwriter tweeted, “I’m VERY proud of the Norwegian female beach handball team FOR PROTESTING THE VERY SEXIST RULES ABOUT THEIR “uniform”. The European handball federation SHOULD BE FINED FOR SEXISM. Good on ya, ladies. I’ll be happy to pay your fines for you. Keep it up.”