Last week the Norwegian women's beach handball team was fined £1500 euros for wearing shorts instead of bikini bottoms in the European Championship bronze medal match.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Thousands of studies have shown if we want women to participate in sport, their uniforms need to be purposeful, comfortable and made for them.
The players chose to take a stand against the outdated rules and opt to play in shorts, which made them more comfortable.
The European Handball Federation said it dealt with the "improper clothing" as the shorts were not in line with the uniform regulations outlined in the International Handball Federation's rules, and each player was fined £150 euros.
MORE IN SPORT
The rules stipulate female players must wear "cut on an upward angle" bikini bottoms with a maximum side width of 10 centimetres.
Uniforms for their male counterparts are drastically different, a singlet and shorts, which must remain 10cm above the knee. So it clearly does not have anything to do with performance, otherwise the men would be in budgie smugglers and a tight rashie-like singlet.
Women do not owe the world anything for their appearance and female athletes are no exception, a uniform's only purpose is to make athletes feel comfortable and perform at their best.
Athletes should be allowed to compete in whatever they feel comfortable in, whether that is a bikini, a hijab, a long sleeve t-shirt or covered head to toe. If it fits with the colours of the team they are representing, what is the problem?
The problem is women's bodies are constantly being policed and sport is no different.
A Victorian University study this year found the 300 girls surveyed between 12-18 preferred shorts, dark clothing, options that did not make them feel over-exposed and uniforms made specifically for women.
Long gone should be the days of policing female athletes bodies, in are the days of listening to what they want.