top of page
Dani Bland

Indefensible: Let Women Dress Themselves

Updated: Sep 2, 2022



It is no secret that women’s bodies can achieve incredible feats, from childbirth to elite athletic performances. Unfortunately, society is still too focused on what women’s bodies look like, rather than what they cando.


Last week, the International Handball Federation fined Norway’s women’s beach handball team for wearing spandex shorts, instead of the required bikini bottoms during their bronze medal match at the European Handball Championships. Required bikini bottoms, you read that right. The International Handball Federation requires women to wear bikini bottoms “with a close fit and cut on an upward angle toward the top of the leg.” The side fabric on the bikini bottoms is limited to four inches. In stark contrast, men can wear shorts as long as they are not too baggy and are no longer than four inches above the knee.


Since it is permissible for men to wear shorts, it is clear that shorts do not provide an illegal competitive advantage. Thus, there is no reasonable justification for requiring women athletes to wear bikini bottoms when men do not face similar requirements. Even worse, the International Handball Federation was unable to produce any reasoning for the rule whatsoever. This is unacceptable. While the double standard regarding uniforms is abhorrent, it is important to note that banning bikini bottoms will not solve the problem.


Unless there is a competitive advantage, an athlete’s clothing choice is none of any athletic federation’s business. As long as there is no illegal competitive advantage, athletes should be allowed to choose whatever uniform is most comfortable for them to compete in. A woman who prefers bikini bottoms should be allowed to sport them without question, comment, or punishment. A woman who prefers shorts instead of bikini bottoms should equally be allowed to do so without question, comment, or punishment.


As women’s sports are featured on the global stage at the Tokyo Olympics over the next few weeks, let’s remember to appreciate what women can do instead of focusing on what they can wear. After all, it is what these women have done that earned them spots in the Olympics, not what they wore. It is time to let women dress themselves.


Dani Bland is a 3L at Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law where she is Editor in Chief of the Sports Law Society Blog. She was a 12-time NCAA Track All American at Emory University. For inquiries, email [email protected] or dm on Twitter at @DaniB_315.


19 Comments


SV88 Show
SV88 Show
2 days ago

KUBET – kubet77 la nha cai ca cuoc online uy tin hang dau tai thi truong Viet Nam, cung cap nhieu tro choi ca cuoc hap dan nhu xo so, bong da… Kubet.buzz trang chu ho tro, dang ky, dang nhap Kubet chinh thuc.

Like

Edi Xhafa
Edi Xhafa
4 days ago

Loto188 mang den cho nguoi choi mot kho tang game da dang, tu cac tro choi dan gian quen thuoc den nhung tua game hien dai, dap ung moi nhu cau giai tri cua ban . loto188casino.net

Like

sâu bọ
sâu bọ
Dec 16

Ku bet – Link vao trang chu KU BET moi nhat 2024. KUBET88 chuan dang co khuyen mai 88k danh cho hoi vien moi, tham gia ngay hom nay. markusklinko-indrani.com

Like

sâu bọ
sâu bọ
Dec 16

ae888 rat vui mung gioi thieu trang web ae888-games.com, mot nen tang chuyen cung cap trai nghiem giai tri truc tuyen dang cap cho nguoi choi.

Like

sâu bọ
sâu bọ
Dec 13

iwin – Noi quy tu dang cap cua gioi thuong luu, la mot trong nhung cong game bai doi thuong uy tin nhat hien nay tai thi truong Chau A. cffresearch.org

Like
bottom of page