Ilona Maher's Hands Were Stained Pink from her “DWTS” Costume: 'I Kept Fidgeting With it'

Fans couldn't help but notice the fashion mishap during the rugby star's debut performance

Ilona Maher's Dancing with the Stars debut was a success, despite a minor wardrobe malfunction.

On Tuesday, Sept. 17, the Olympic bronze medalist performed alongside her partner Alan Bersten for the season 33 premiere. The duo danced the Cha Cha to Shania Twain's "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!", racking up a score of 18 out of 30.

Maher, 28, took the stage in a pink halter dress with a cutout detail down the front and a fringe trim. During the broadcast, fans couldn't help but notice that the tips of the rugby player's hands were stained pink.

One viewer posted about their confusion on TikTok. Over a clip from the show where Maher's hands are visible, they wrote, "girl what happened to your hands??? is it from your costume?????"

Related: Ilona Maher Says Dancing with DWTS Partner Alan Bersten 'Makes Me Feel Very Feminine': 'Good for Girls to See' (Exclusive)

Others joined the conversation in the comments section. "I wondered that too," one user wrote.

"Not her getting caught pink handed," another joked.

To the TikTok user's surprise, Maher responded to the video, commenting, "My costume. I kept fidgeting with it and it had been dyed."

At the season 33 premiere, Maher told PEOPLE that Bersten, 30, has facilitated an environment that makes her feel “very feminine, womanly” on the ballroom floor.

“I think it's going to be good for girls to see a muscular, strong woman out there, like being feminine dancing with a gorgeous man like Alan here,” she added.

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Ahead of their performance, Maher told Bersten that she wanted to serve as a role model for young girls.

"I'm this very big, muscular woman, but I also feel so beautiful and feminine," she said. "I mean, you know, I grew up not very comfortable, but I want to now make it easier for young girls to love your body."

Two days before her DWTS debut, Maher appeared at the 76th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, where she not only interviewed stars on the red carpet but pulled off three outfit changes.

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After helping Team USA take home bronze at the Paris Olympics, Maher was unveiled as a digital cover star for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. At the time, she told the outlet that the moment was meaningful for her because she's "always called masculine."

"But I never felt that way," the athlete explained to SI. "But I don't think you're going to bully the girl who could probably beat you up in a rage. I love that [rugby] showed me what I can do. It showed me how capable my body is and it's not just like a tool to be looked at and objectified.”

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