People, places and things beyond headlines

Someone got fined by a sanskari soul for wearing a bikini?
Au contraire, my friend. The fine was for not wearing a bikini, and it was slapped on Norway's women's beach handball team.

But why?
The European Handball Federation imposed the ₹1,500 ($1,768) fine because the team wore shorts, instead of the regulation bikini bottom, in their final match against Spain. The Norwegian team had asked permission to play in shorts and were told it would be a breach of rules but they decided to go ahead. Meanwhile, guess what the men's teams wear?

Not bikini bottoms, I bet
They wear shorts! And no one seems to have a problem. It's the kind of sexist double standards that is increasingly being criticised.

Evidently not enough for them to change their minds
But the decision attracted a huge backlash. The charge was led by none other than the pop star Pink, who tweeted that she was proud of the team for protesting the "very sexist rules" and added that she'd be happy to pay the fine on behalf of the team.

Good on you, Pink!
A real soul sister. Norway's government has also supported the team's decision, with their culture minister saying it's "completely ridiculous".

Any chance the federation declined the fine after the furore?
No. Their version of an acknowledgement of the outcry was to donate the fine to an international foundation "which supports equality for women and girls in sports".

Irony just jumped off a cliff. Or into the sea.

Text: Indulekha Aravind