Singer Pink offered to pay the fine incurred by the female handball team from Norway, for breaking European Handball Federation rules about uniform regulations. She accused the organization of having sexist rules.

Pink has been an artist who speaks up for what she believes, not just through her music, but also as a public figure. On this occasion, she spoke up to support and aid the female Norwegian handball team.

The team was fined €1,500 for “improper clothing” at the European Beach Handball Championships in July. The team decided to wore shorts like their counterparts instead of bikini bottoms. The country’s sports minister, Abid Raja, called the punishment “completely ridiculous.”

The Federation declared the fine was set at their bronze medal match against Spain in Bulgaria because the shorts the female players were using were “not according to the athlete uniform regulations”.

When the uniform fine for the Norwegian team was announced, Pink brought cultural traction by her statement and her offer. She declared in a tweet how the European Handball Federation “should be fined for sexism.”

“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”, she wrote.

Although, the team was already prepared for this fine. They announced they had it covered and added that it should be “a free choice within a standardized framework”. They also thanked the pop singer for her support through an Instagram story. “Wow! Thank you so much for the support”, they wrote.

They also thanked supporters and fans through an Instagram post by writing “Thank you so much for all the support. We really appreciate all the love we have received. You’re the best.”

Another event that caught the spotlight happened during the Olympics when the German women’s gymnastics team wore ankle-length unitards instead of the usual bikini-cut leotards, which were supposed to be only allowed for religious traditions. 

Different athletes have declared their position against uniform regulations. These recent events are precedents for women athletes who start taking control over their image on the sports stage.

In recent new events, the European Handball Federation declared that it had donated the fine issued to the team to a major international sports foundation that supports equality for women and girls in sports.

The team from Norway declared this as a victory of “baby steps”. “Baby steps. It feels so good to know that we have ETFs support, and we believe that a change is in motion. We cannot wait. Thank you for all the support, you are amazing”, they declared on another Instagram post. 

Published by HOLR Magazine.