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Pink has offered to pick up the tab for the Norwegian women’s beach handball team, who was recently fined for daring to play in shorts instead of bikinis.
In a message shared Saturday on Twitter, the 41-year-old singer said she is “VERY proud” of the Norwegian women’s beach handball team, who had recently been accused by the European Handball Federation of sporting “improper clothing” at the European Beach Handball Championships earlier this month, according to People. Each member of Norway’s women’s beach handball team was fined 150 euros (or $177) by the European Handball Federation for wearing shorts, totaling $1,765.28. (Related: The Norwegian Women’s Handball Team Was Fined $1,700 for Playing In Shorts Instead of Bikini Bottoms)
“I’m VERY proud of the Norwegian female beach handball team FOR PROTESTING THE VERY SEXIST RULES ABOUT THEIR ‘uniform,'” tweeted Pink. “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.”
The Norwegian women’s beach handball team responded to Pink’s gesture through an Instagram Story, writing “Wow! Thank you so much for the support,” according to BBC News. (Related: A Swimmer Was Disqualified from Winning a Race Because an Official Felt Her Suit Was Too Revealing)
The International Handball Federation requires female players to wear midriff-bearing tops and bikini bottoms “with a close fit and cut on an upward angle toward the top of the leg,” while male handball players are permitted to wear shorts and tank tops to play. The European Handball Federation disciplinary commission said at the time of Norway’s bronze medal match against Spain in the European Beach Handball Championships that the team was dressed “not according to the athlete uniform regulations defined in the IHF (International Handball Federation) beach handball rules of the game.”
Norway’s Katinka Haltvik said the team’s decision to wear shorts instead of bikini bottoms was a “spontaneous” call, according to NBC News.
The women’s beach handball team also had the full support of the Norwegian Handball Federation, with the organization’s president, Kåre Geir Lio, telling NBC News earlier this month: “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.”
The Norwegian Handball Federation reiterated their support for Norway’s women’s team in an Instagram post shared Tuesday, July 20.
“We are very proud of these girls who are at the European Championships in beach handball. They raised their voice and told us that enough is enough,” wrote the Federation on Instagram, according to translation. “We are the Norwegian Handball Federation and we stand behind you and support you. We will continue to fight to change the international regulations for attire so that players can play in the clothing they are comfortable with.” (Related: Women-Only Gyms Are All Over TikTok — and They Look Like Paradise)
The Norwegian women’s beach handball team also expressed their appreciation for the world’s support on Instagram, writing: “We are overwhelmed by the attention and support from all over the world! Thank you so much to all the people who support us and help spread the message! We really hope this will result in a change of this nonsense rule!”
Norway has campaigned for shorts to be deemed acceptable in beach handball since 2006, Lio recently told NBC News, noting there are plans to submit a motion “to change the rules in an extraordinary congress” of the International Handball Federation this fall.
The Norwegian women’s beach handball team isn’t the only group taking a stand against sexualized athletic uniforms. Germany’s women’s gymnastics team recently debuted full-body unitards at this summer’s Tokyo Olympics to promote freedom of choice.