in the first place this week , the European Handball Federation fined Norway ’s women ’s beach handball team for compete in short circuit rather than bikini brief . According toThe New York Times , the International Handball Federation mandates bikini - style bottom for distaff players , while men are allowed to tire “ not too baggy ” shorts that strike four in above the genu . The organization is now investigate those rules , though the Norwegian woman ’s team has reportedly been kick about them for the preceding 15 years .
They ’re not lobbying to do away with bikini buttocks in the sport altogether — they’re just contend against being force to wear them . In fact , good deal of female athlete , particularly in beach sports like handball and volleyball , opt for less coverage . This is partially because they ’re often toy in live weather condition , and also because they ’re playing on moxie .
“ spiel in a one - musical composition was never comfy for me , ” beach volleyball player Jennifer Kessy , who acquire a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics , toldTODAY . “ It was restricting and limited my movements — imagine diving event chest first and lodging more sand than you care to intend down the front of your courting . You ca n’t keep it in there and it is not gentle to get out . I found myself adjusting my one piece all the clock time and while it was embarrassing , sure , it also take my focus off the lucifer I was playing . I started looking at my two-piece as my competition lawsuit , kind of like track and field of operations . ”
distaff rails and flying field athletes aren’trequiredto vie in bikini briefs , either , but many are most well-heeled doing so because it ’s what they ’re used to . British Paralympian Olivia Breen recently spoke out after a distaff official criticized her brief for being unsuitably little : “ I have been don the same style dash briefs for many years and they are specifically designed for contend in , ” shewroteon societal media .
In short , more wearable can be more distracting than less , either because you ’re playing in hot , sandy condition or because too much textile feels constricting . But if you , like the Norse fair sex ’s handball team , would prefer to compete in long shorts , you should n’t be fined for it .
