To think that female athletes could be in shorts rather than arse-cheek-revealing pants?

Yes but the olympics is public entertainment.

They depend on public interest to have a career.

I've seen several videos on Instagram of athletes showing off their kit, they all seem to have 2-3 kit options including shorts so I just assume they have chosen their preferred kit for the actual events.

There is a lot on display in both male and female athletic and swimwear.

I believe it's related to performance mostly. Some have choices.

I strongly believe that we should be permitted to wear whatever we like, unless against the law, and that others need to keep their opinions about what we're wearing to themselves. In turn we will keep our own opinions about what they are wearing to ourselves.

If you don't like it, don't look. Your neck rotates.

news.sky.com/story/amp/holly-bradshaw-skimpy-kit-is-discouraging-women-from-competing-olympic-bronze-medallist-says-12439544

Aah please stop! I have no desire to see todgers hanging out.

It’s all very well to wax lyrical about womens’ rights to dress how they want but what about the right of viewers not to have to gaze on their bum.

At a previous Olympics Holly Bradshaw had a massive battle as there was not a kit she felt comfortable in (this was the Nike Olympic kit- not the current Adidas one). It was cropped top, speed suit (like a leotard), vest and knicker shorts or baggy distance shorts that would be too flappy for PV. She had to wear a rowing kit instead but she had to really argue the case.

Interestingly the reason she chooses to cover up is due to bad press when she first went pro for not looking thin enough.

You see why many teenage girls choose to give sport up as many are not as articulate or confident as Holly

Errr, did you watch the diving?

But surely that would apply to men too?

Female athletes can choose what they want to wear. Like in the gymnastics they can wear a full body leotard.

This is just like saying young women can wear knee length skirts when out on a weekend but they are wearing just cover yer bum skirts. You don't get to police what others wear, especially if it is a choice by them and in athletics it is

I can say with some confidence there is a significant gulf between where Iran would draw the line and arse cheeks hanging out.

My dd is an elite gymnast. She trains in a leotard and shorts.
She competes in a leotard a size smaller than she trains in and no shorts. She likes a tight fit for comps but likes to be comfy in training.
What she was astounded was the length of nails and wearing jewellery. Her coaches would have a fit because she could injure herself.

but do the female divers have a choice? @AGoingConcern

I hear Iran is nice this time of the year, OP.

They love policing what women wear as well.

I think some of it is about looks and feeling attractive or at least not feeling unattractive, even though there is a large amount of practicality in what is worn as well. Sportswear doesn’t exist in complete isolation from fashion or society’s notions about what looks good. Putting men in women’s kits or women in men’s kits would, to most people not look as attractive. Athletes want to feel good about themselves so they perform well. Do you feel as good when you are dressed in something that makes you look shit?

I do recall hoiking up kit in the same way teens at school shorten their skirts by rolling it up at the waist.

um, can you point to the stats that have comprehensively surveyed all 3 million secondary school age girls and established that 'few' of them wear trousers?
or have you just looked at your dd and her friends and thought 'yep I'll extrapolate my sample size of 5 to the whole country?'

why do people make such ridiculous overarching statements based on absolutely no evidence?

Of the schools by me at least one doesn't allow a skirt option at all, others I assume do because I've seen a few girls wearing them but the vast majority wear trousers, as they did when I was in school in the 2000s.

I run in the County Cross country league (at the back). The young women and girls choose to run in knickers even in the snow from about 13yo. I don't know why, I'm certain there's no pressure on them from the clubs, I doubt they're actually more comfortable than short tights, but that might be a reflection on the size of my thighs!

If it is pressure, it comes from wanting to fit in with the other girls would be my guess ot maybe wanting to dress likentheir hero(ine)s.

For the professionals, I suspect it might be to do with their chances of getting better sponsorship deals. 😪

Yes.

If there are athletes asking for support to be allowed to wear something not offered by their federation or under their specific sport's rules then I will absolutely support that. Beach volleyball and gymnastics (among others) have widened their allowed attire rules in recent years and I'm 100% for that.

But the paternalistic "oh but these women can't actually be making their own choice because look they chose something I don't approve of" tripe is not empowerment or feminism. Women can choose to follow fashions or not. They can choose to prioritize coverage or comfort or the feeling of looking in the mirror before a competition and thinking "I am such a boss." Elite athletes know infinitely more about what works for them in competition than you, so support them in their efforts instead of telling them what's good for them.

We must have been at the same school! And they were phased out as it was seen as demeaning to the girls to have to prance round in knickers.

Reminds me of grammar school days - girls had little skirts for PE lessons but could only wear them for hockey. For all other sport including on the school field we had to prance about in our brown school knickers. Boys wore the same shorts for all their sports. We were all mortified and found it very unfair.

My dd is a sprinter who competes at County level. She preferes shorts but many of her peers choose to wear the skimpy pants.
I don't understand it....but its up to the individual which kit they pick. Every official kit offers a range of options.

In any case there comes a point where it isn’t about choice it’s about decency.

Even when the Greek olympics were in the nude, women weren’t allowed to watch so even in that semi-nudist society there were limits on what was seen as suitable for mass public consumption. Where should the line be drawn? Is crotchless fine?

I'm confused I haven't said athletes wear their training kit to the park?

I did see a few runners today but all wearing normal gear no bits of anatomy hanging out...a few women probably needed better supportive sports/running bra but nothing like like some of the athletes the OP has highlighted.

Most Olympic athletes have a choice of options - usually the "knickers", leotards, shorts, cycling shorts and leggings. Some teams have a hijab option as well.

So this is what the athlete has chosen.

DD1 is a competitive gymnast. As I understand it, it’s only in the last few years that British Gymnastics have approved wearing shorts in competitions. Points also used to be deducted if bra strap slipped and became visible.

It doesn't offend me but I hope they are making a truly free choice. It must be hard to break away and wear something different to the currently accepted norm and different to your team mates. That's a big part of the reason so few girls wear trousers at secondary school. Sure they could choose to but in reality it's more complex.