But a drama has spilled onto social media after the Norwegian women's team wanted to wear shorts at the European Championships, but was threatened with fines and even disqualification unless the players wore bikini bottoms.
A social media post kicked off the storm alleging the organisers would fine the players for "anything covering more than 10cm of their butts".
The Norwegian Handball Association (NHF) has reportedly been pushing for a change to the uniform regulations requiring sports bras and bikini bottoms and planned to protest with the thigh length tights.
The regulation reads: "Women should wear a bikini where the top should be a tight-fitting sports bra with deep openings at the arms. The bottom must not be more than ten centimetres on the sides."
The tweet continued to say "these bottoms make them feel unnecessarily sexualised + uncomfortable when they have their periods and the likes".
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova shared the original tweet, stating "That is just ridiculous".
Dubbed the "panties crisis" by Norwegian commentator Leif Welhaven, Norway's team captain told Norwegian broadcaster NRK the team felt forced into bikini bottoms.
"So then we are forced to play with panties. It is so embarrassing," she reportedly said.
"First we were told about a fine of 50 euros ($A80) per person per match, something that would have landed us a fine of about 4,850 euros ($A7760). We accepted that. However, just before the match we were told that we will be disqualified if we play like that. So we had to go with the bikini bottoms."
The European Handball Federation defended itself saying that disqualification was never an option and that a commission would look at changes in the law and present a proposal.
But the president of the Norwegian Handball Federation Kare Geir Lio slammed the reaction to the protest.
"It's so – we are happy to pay the fine if that was what it was about," Lio told NHK.
"We have contacted them and worked for this for several years. We have raised it at the Congress and we have been promised that this will be sorted out. Still, nothing happens.
"It's just sad for the ladies to have to deal with this."
Lio said that Sweden, Denmark, France and Norway would collaborate in a letter to bring about the regulatory change.
French team manager Valerie Nicolas backed Norway's stance and said nations should stand together to create change.
"We have lost players due to the suits," she told newspaper Verdens Gang. "The players tell me they are uncomfortable, feel naked, and watched. It is a sport with a lot of movement and you are hindered by the bikini. There is also discomfort associated with menstruation and not least religion."
Norway ended up topping its group but stumbling in the semi-finals before finishing fourth after losing to Spain in the bronze medal match.
But the team sent a message by wearing the tights in the bronze medal match.
The tournament was ultimately won by Germany, who defeated Denmark in the tournament final.
