The Olympics are coming up soon, and some female athletes are infuriated about one of the women’s 2024 track and field uniforms. Some athletes feel uncomfortable in their uniforms because they have very little coverage. It makes people wonder if they are selling the sport or if they are selling the athlete’s body.
Not only this year, but in past years the USA beach volleyball team wears bathing suits with very little coverage. This sport requires you to dive for the ball which would make anyone want to feel fully covered, especially when it is televised to the whole world. If we compare it to the men’s uniform who gets to wear a full-length tank top and shorts that are mid-thigh-length. What is the difference between men and women? Why should the women be on full display while the men get to dress comfortably?
A few years ago, Norway’s women’s beach handball team pushed back against the uniform. Instead of wearing the bikini uniform, Norway decided to wear shorts. The team was then penalized to pay a fine of $1,764 for not wearing the proper uniform. It is unfair that women can not wear what they feel comfortable with. Not everyone is going to feel comfortable showing the whole world their body so why should the athletes have to suffer because of it?
These are not the only sports that sexualize women. Gymnastics is another sport that viewers look closely at and their uniforms. World-renowned gymnast, Simone Biles, supports team German in wearing full-length bodysuits in an interview with Business Insider. Although she feels more comfortable wearing the uniform she grew up in, she supports the movement and cause.
As an athlete, I look for uniforms I feel comfortable wearing which include full coverage. Although in tennis we can find longer skirts to fit our needs many sports that don’t. This issue expands on more than just the Olympics from high school sports to professional athletes.
Back in 2018, Grand Slam champion, Serena Williams, wore a black catsuit to the French Open to increase circulation, preventing her from getting blood clots. The officials were outraged by this event and went on to ban the right to wear what athletes want, and now must follow the dress code.
One of the more controversial uniforms is the Nike 2024 Track and Field uniforms. They were released in Paris as a teaser. Nike never thought they would get this much backlash from the uniforms. The uniforms consist of the men with a compression tank top and mid-thigh compression shorts while the women’s uniform is notably a very-high cut bodysuit. In an article by the New York Times, John Hoke, the chief innovation officer, stated “Nearly 50 unique pieces across men’s and women’s and a dozen competition styles fine-tuned for specific events.”
Although they only released a few uniforms they say there will be more options for the athletes to choose from to fit the comfort of their needs. In a USA Today article, Hoke explains “Nike designed the Paris 2024 track and field kits to offer athletes a range of silhouettes tailored for various sports disciplines, body types, and sizes, prioritizing performance and maximum breathability.”
Even though Nike has come out to say they are focusing on making sure the athlete’s voices are heard, it makes audience readers wonder why they showed those specific uniforms. After all, they could have announced the more modest versions instead Nike chose to market the most revealing uniforms to the public. Overall, setting the tone for what people should tune in for at this year’s Olympics, and it is probably not for the athletes themselves but what they are wearing.
This issue stems beyond just the Olympics and has been going on for decades now. But with the voices of the people and athletes, we can make a change for women’s sports to stop selling the body and start selling the athleticism, dedication, courage, and bravery it takes for athletes to perform at the highest level.
