The controversy surrounding the wearing of bikini by beach handball players continues to swell. Ten days after the fine of 1,500 euros imposed by the European handball federation on the Norwegians who had refused to wear the bikini at the Euro, it is now the French who are stepping up to the plate. Their coach Valérie Nicolas wants the players to be left with the choice of their outfit when the bikini does not appear to be an optimal solution. She also indicates that a letter has been sent to the French handball federation and should be sent to the European and international ones in the coming days.
Where does this bikini controversy come from?
VALÉRIE NICOLAS. In beach handball, players must wear a bra and bikini. Legally, it is impossible to play with shorts for them while boys have one that goes up to the knees with a tank top. We tell ourselves that it is not necessarily very coherent. In beach volleyball there is reception and service, but in beach handball you turn, jump and goalkeepers spread their legs. You don’t necessarily feel comfortable in a bikini, you feel a little naked. When you have your period, you need to have a tampon so you don’t have the choice of your protection and as long as a thread sticks out, you are always freaking out. For some players, it’s a complex and I understand that they don’t want to play on that. Those who want to play in a bikini can, no problem. We simply ask to be able to play in shorties or shorts. We are looking to do 360 or kung fu (Editor’s note: shooting techniques) so we are still in situations where we have to feel at ease.
The bikini is not suitable for beach handball?
Not at all. EHF (Editor’s note: European handball federation) is not against but it is the IHF, the international federation, which decides. A few months ago, a motion was passed by the Norwegians. It had been accepted by the EHF but the IHF had challenged it by saying that it was not the EHF which decided at the international level but it: the motion had therefore been rejected. The Danes also wrote to the European federations saying that they were in agreement on this point. The Swedes also agree. I was talking to the president of the Spanish federation who told me that they were ahead. He said to me: “As soon as the girls want to play in shorts, they do it, I don’t have any concerns”. Everyone is open and everyone wants to advance on it except these gentlemen from another time, from another environment, perhaps from another intellectual level. I would like the neurons to connect up there and understand that in order to advance our discipline and be at a high level, we need to have the best and that they can play in a liberated manner.
The difference in dress between girls and boys is therefore obvious and clearly oriented?
Yes, they want the physique to be highlighted and that’s a shame. Making the vase does not interest me too much, the players do not have any more. We are not here for that and it is a spectacular sport. For beach handball, we want the focus to be on the athlete, not on the bikini. I discussed it with the players and they decided to write a letter addressed to the president of the French handball federation, to the president of the European federation and to the president of the international federation. We gave it to our lawyer at the level of our federation. There, we translate it into English and it will leave very quickly.
Are you ready to be sanctioned?
Yes. I’m so glad the Norwegians did it and that it caused a buzz, that Pink retweeted. I am ready to be sanctioned without problem, I hope that the French federation will act too. I hope that will have changed by the next big competition, at the European Championship in two years. And I think that will change because with everything that is being said, it is not possible that it will stay like that.
