Short tight pants
If fit for gander then fit for goose, yeah?
The International Handball Federation has responded to widespread accusations of sexism by changing its rules around women’s uniforms to allow bike shorts and tank tops instead of bikini bottoms and crop tops.
The sport’s global governing body has been the subject of international pressure since July, when the European Handball Federation made headlines for imposing a €1,500 fine on the Norwegian women’s beach handball team for wearing shorts like their male counterparts during the Euro 21 tournament in Bulgaria. At the time, the EHF described the shorts as “improper clothing”.
Yes because it’s “improper” for female athletes not to show off their tits and groins while competing.
At some point over the past month the IHF has quietly altered its regulations for beach handball, which now stipulate that “female athletes must wear short tight pants with a close fit”. Male athletes can still wear regular shorts as long as 10cm above the knee “if not too baggy”.
Jesus. Women are required to wear SHORT TIGHT PANTS WITH A CLOSE FIT while men can wear just regular shorts. How do they justify this in their own minds?
[Norway’s] minister for culture and sport, Abid Raja, described the ruling as being “completely ridiculous” and women’s sports associations across Europe also called for the resignation of the presidents of both the IHF and the EHF.
…
Even now, there are differences in terms of requirements for women to wear uniforms that are “body fit” and “tight” when there is no corresponding rule for men.
“Look, bitches, we want to ogle your bums and cracks, OKAY?”
Female athletes have spoken out against uniform double standards numerous times. Women are required to wear more revealing outfits in several sports, including track and field, beach volleyball and tennis.
Gymnastics and figure skating.
The continuing double standard is ,breathtaking, but not unsurprising. There is still a pervasive belief amongst many, mostly male, sports administrators, journalists, and advertisers, that no one will watch female sport if they’re not also given the chance to ogle the athletes body. Because after all, it’s not real sport, right?
So on the one hand you have this persistent view that women’s bodies must be displayed in a sexually overt manner, and on the other hand you have the view that to similarly display men’s bodies would cause discomfort to the men and many/most viewers and that it could even be indecent because you’d see the outline of their schlongs.
Shorts and a T-shirt feel like a good uniform for this sport frankly.
They got a lot of blowback when they fined the team because their shorts weren’t short enough. Although ridiculous, at least length is an objective measurement.
Imagine the blowback they’ll get for fining a team whose shorts aren’t tight enough.
Rob, that is such a pervasive attitude, and wrong. My husband watches women’s sports, including ones where they don’t wear bikinis or ludicrous outfits. Men can and do appreciate women’s sport for the sport, but those who are in the money-making position are afraid they will lose revenue if the women are allowed to choose their own outfits and be comfortable. Because all women are supposed to be is eye candy, right? At least, if they’re doing anything men are watching.
iknklast, just a few years ago women’s rugby in NZ was treated in a dismissive manner by pretty much everyone. It still is in some quarters. Increasingly though, I’ve heard men remarking that the standard of the game and style of play is great to watch and in some respects better than the men’s game. It’s a rare thing though. Possibly no one expects female rugby players to be sexy. Hockey, soccer, volleyball, tennis though…
Tennis – remember that advertising slogan for one of the bra adds featuring a lovely young tennis player back when – Only the ball should bounce.
Times change slowly.
Especially when you decide to move in reverse. We made quite a bit of headway, but now, thanks to ‘feminists’ who think sex work and high heels are empowering, we seem to be losing ground rapidly. And far too many men do think that women are only there to be ogled, unless they are close to them, and then they are also there to be groped, or worse.
Athleticism and skill take a back seat to how fuckable she is.
Rob:
Very much the same story with women’s football in the UK. It’s finally starting to get some traction as a serious sport and I’ve noticed the games being reported on in the news. I haven’t paid attention at all, but I imagine it gets a much smaller share of the reporting, but it is definitely better than zero a few years ago. Same with women’s cricket. As far as I know, women and men wear the same outfits in both sports.
@latsot#7 – Sexy cricketers boggles the mind. The most the blokes do is roll up their sleeves.
I enjoyed the Olympics BMX cycling where the women wore body covering lycra, in case of scrapes on the concrete. The skateboarders were in loose Ts and trousers. They looked like skateboarders going to the local park. I don’t know what the viewing figures were but I can’t imagine ogling. They do amazing tricks.
KBPlayer:
I’m old enough to remember when cricketers put their cigarettes behind their ears when they went to bowl. The rolling up of sleeves would have required a committee meeting.
Back in the mists of time when I watched Wimbledon I much preferred watching women’s tennis, not because of their bodies but because of the tennis — longer rallies and not so many aces, which I always regarded as boring.