Not even the International Handball Federation knows why female athletes have to wear bikini bottoms, while men are allowed to compete in shorts. "We’re looking into it internally," Jessica Rockstroh, a spokesperson for the organization, told the New York Times. The sides of the women's swimsuits have to be less than four inches thick, while male players can wear shorts as long as four inches above the knee, as long as they're "not too baggy." Uhhh, we're guessing the reason for this disparity is bad, old-fashioned sexism.
When you compare the uniforms worn by male and female athletes side by side, it's shocking how covered-up the dudes look versus how skimpily dressed their counterparts appear. Norway's women's beach handball team protested the inequity by wearing shorts during their bronze medal match against Spain at the European Beach Handball Championships on July 18. As punishment, the players were fined 150 euros each, for a total of €1,500 ($1,771.25 USD). They've lobbied against the bikini requirement since 2006. "Nothing has happened," said Kare Geir Lio, head of the Norwegian Handball Federation, who noted his organization would pay the fine.
