[sport] International Handball Federation changes rule on women's beach uniforms after intense debate over sexism

[E̶l̶s̶y̶d̶e̶o̶n̶ッ]

This weekend it became known that the International Handball Federation (IFH) has changed the rules on clothing for women in beach competition.
Now, rule number 4 on "Equipment, substitutions and uniform" reads: "The women's team uniform consists of a tight-fitting sleeveless T-shirt, tight shorts and permitted accessories".
The decision is a consequence of what happened in the middle of this year when the European Handball Federation was in the sports headlines for a decision that had nothing to do with the sport: they had fined the Norwegian women's beach handball team for not wearing a bikini as the bottom part of the uniform, as stated in the official regulations.
The sportswomen had gone out to play a match in the European tournament dressed in shorts, very similar to those used by men in the same sport.
The players complained at the time that the tighter briefs (panties, pantyhose, pantalettes, bombachas, in different Latin American countries) they were told to wear in the previous competition were too restrictive and uncomfortable for them, as well as feeding the sexualization of their bodies.
"Together we will continue to fight to change the clothing rules so that players can play in clothing they feel comfortable in," the team said in a statement after learning of the decision to punish them for wearing the shorts.
The fine to the Norwegian team had also triggered a campaign by several organizations to change the rules on mandatory clothing for women's teams.
"I hope this is the beginning of the end of sexism and objectification of women and girls in sport," Talitha Stone, who was one of the leaders who organized the calls to change the rules, told the British newspaper The Guardian.