Why do female athletes wear what they do?

[800wow]

There aren't any rules (as there have been in some sports) so the women are competing in next to nothing through choice.

Is it comfortable? They all have a amazing bodies, but do they all like being on TV dressed this way? Is it performance? If so, why don't the men also do it?

Is there pressure from sponsors either directly or because the most 'saleable'get more sponsorship or advertising contracts?

I'm genuinely curious as to why they make these choices. I run and I wear less in competition than I do in training but wouldn't find high cut knickers comfortable to run in.

Men's anatomies are not the same as women's though. Comfortable for one sex doesn't mean comfortable for the other

Coz they've got different t tackle to hold in place!

Remebering back to my gymnastics days, maaany years ago. My fave leotard was quite high cut in the leg but had a sturdy gusset. I hated training in boy/cyling shorts as they didn't feel as 'safe' and the stitching dug in and itched. Most of us chose to show a lil bit of toned butt over an itchy foo.

An elite athlete will want to wear what is comfortable and helps them perform at their best.
And that is all.

I have a body conscious teenage athlete, who wouldn't dream of wearing anything revealing as a fashion choice, even the short school skirts, but chooses the Nike Pro shorts and crop top to compete in, is fine swimming in a swimsuit in a competition or a triathlon suit - all of which are tight, but not revealing. You stand out less if you are wearing the same things as everyone else, it's the opposite of choosing to wear tight clothing to work or something, same as the context people wear swimsuits.

They have strong, healthy bodies and focus on what they can do with them, rather than what they look like - brilliant role models.

Also, Josh Kerr was wearing tight clothes for his mile record, as most men do now, so the sexist argument doesn't really stand up to scrutiny.

because it's easier to move legs if the joint is free and not covered by fabric.

It’s kind of the opposite in the swimming where the women are more covered up

Tight yes, but not creeping up his bum.

Don't they? I admit i do not watch a whole lot of athletics but I did watch the London Marathon and the elite runners outfits looked very similar for men and women. That is what i based my comment on.

I have actually read some discussions online where male athletes were discussing attire, and a few men said they tried and indeed find speedo style bottoms great from movement perspective, but societal norms and different anatomy would mean they would feel too self conscious.

I don't care what any of the athletes wear, as long as it is their choice and they feel comfortable in it.

What puzzles me is why some of them wear chunky great gold necklaces that flap about when they run. The male sprinters seem particularly prone to it.

They would be so comfortable. I've toyed with it for hot parkrun days. I'd love to wear a cropped sports bra and pants. The odd woman does at our park. We have quite a few older women (around 60) who just wear a sports bra for their top when it's scorching.

To be fair to the press the comments were, I recollect, about the increse in the size of his lunchbox, which was at the time one sign of performance engaging drugs.

If I had an athletes body I would be walking around in just my big pants all the time... down Tesco - big pants, school run - big pants, holibobs - neon big pants..
oh yeah...

There's a reason for that in the pool, the fabrics are less water resistant than skin is, so the more of them they can cover with the fabric, the faster they can swim.

Wrong. Do you think men are also making wear heavy makeup and false nails?

Google says "Track athletes wear form-fitting or minimal clothing, such as high-cut briefs and crop tops, to maximize mobility, reduce wind resistance, and prevent painful skin chafing during explosive movements."

So you think female athletes wear revealing clothes?

Explain how that is without discussing their anatomy.

The high cut sides make perfect sense to me.
Unrestricted Motion: High-cut sides or briefs prevent fabric from bunching or catching on the upper thigh and hip during repetitive, high-extension strides.
different women have different body shapes and I can see why some would prefer the cut above the hip bone.

Yes - but the men could wear a full suit? So it’s kind of the opposite to on the track

in fact from what people are saying it sounds like women are benefitting in being able to choose more comfortable/aerodynamic outfits!

Does it really matter? If they find running in knickers better than shorts then they can run in knickers. Why don't divers were lycra shorts then instead of a swimming costume with a high leg? Or gymnastics not in tight lycra shorts?

There will be a reason for it and they've chosen. When are we going to stop judging women for what they wear?

It doesn't "matter" but I'm interested in the why, the science of it.

Because of the high tech fabric there are rules on how much of their bodies they can cover. The men can't wear full suits.

I briefly ran competitively and even 40 odd years ago wore the running pants similar to what they wear now. I did it as they felt more comfortable and safer than flappy shorts. The athletes in TV aren’t wearing them to attract the male gaze.
And as for men not wearing the same, you do know men have cock and balls? It wouldn’t work .

The men’s diving team have the skimpiest bottoms.

I ran hurdles for my school in gym knickers in 1974.