Olympics and bikinis

[Andrea87]

I just heard that the Norwegian beach ball team were penalised for not wearing bikini bottoms but shorts , although it was only a short clip on tv so there may be more to it than about wearing skimpy clothes. I think that is out of order and if they want to wear something that is less revealing then that is ok, it should after all be about the sport.
It will be interesting to see what will happen when/ if the German gymnastic team wears full body leotards .
I think making it more about the sport and less about wearing sexy and revealing outfits should be welcomed.

The uniform guidance has written into it that "Athletes' uniforms and accessories contribute to helping athletes increase their performance as well as remain coherent with the sportive and attractive image of the sport. Female athletes must wear bikini bottoms with a close fit and cut on an upward angle toward the top of the leg."

Given that the male athletes can compete in shorts with no impact on their performance, forcing the women's team to wear high cut bikini bottoms has nothing to do with performance and everything to do with "the attractive image of the sport". They've every right to be angry about it, reducing them to the level of eye candy for the spectators undermines the effort they put into the sport.

The Norwegian team has been campaigning for this rule to be changed since 2006 and various athletes have made complaints that having to wear a bikini hinders their performance rather than enhances it. I hope they're successful at getting it changed.

And why do female gymnasts have to compete in leotards with no tights, while men can wear unitards or shorts and singlet?

They don’t have to. They have the option of a unitard, as the German ladies are choosing to wear.

There’s no advantage to bikini pants and no restriction of movement- if gymnasts can compete in full length unitards, plus several runners/athletes have also competed in unitards, Kathy Freeman for example.

People are different shapes and do different things. I definitely notice the resistance of my shorts but the benefit of longer shorts Vs chub rub means the resistance is worth it.

Likewise full length leggings are worth the heat penalty if I'm going exploring off road (ticks/nettles).

Heptathletes seem to vary kit depending on event suggesting there might be differences.

I'd also guess sprinters (especially males with proportionately narrower hips and typically larger muscles) wear long shorts to reduce friction while distance runners, especially female wear less to be cooler (and have less bulky muscles anyway) and have less friction.

Jumpers/hurdlers need freedom of movement (but not the men - there's a reason entire male horses tend not to make good jump racehorses and give jumps more space than strictly necessary...)

This to me is sexualisation of a sport for ogling purposes. Well, if bikini pants offer more freedom of movement then I suggest a little frilly lightweight skirt be worn over them. New balls please, Ha.

It was so ridiculous about the Norwegians. And, at the same time, a paralympic athlete was told her choice of bikini bottoms were too revealing and she needed something with more coverage. Why can't they just let female (and male) athletes wear what works for them?!

Good to see lots of female gymnasts wearing skin coloured tights under their leotards this year. There's always been a few but seemed to the majority this time. And the Germans in their full unitards of course. They had a disappointing result. Really hope their marks weren't affected by their outfits.

The only sport where I think it might genuinely matter is diving. No idea why it should matter but I assume it does because, as well as the very tiny barely swimsuits the women the men still wear budgie smugglers which no other swimmers do. So, if a sport is prepared to do that to men as well as women, I assume it must be for a reason (I wouldn't have such confidence if it was only the women )

I think YABU for not realising that the regulation kit codes have changed for most sports.

Beach volleyball and gymnastics both now have more options, including modesty ones, so what the athletes wear is much more their own choice.

The EHT rules for beach volleyball are, I think, anomalous.

I think the Olympics use the IHT ones - can anyone confirm?

Bikinis are standard (but not compulsory) kit for beach volleyball and beach handball (other than tournaments under EHT rules) because of the beach origin of the sport (one piece swimsuits are far less comfortable for both those sports)

Good to see lots of female gymnasts wearing skin coloured tights under their leotards this year. There's always been a few but seemed to the majority this time

Do you know who was? I’ve never seen gymnasts in tights before, need to google the photos.

@Dilbertian

It sounds like both sexes are required to conform to a strict dress code that resembles some idea of beach-wear.

Here are a few options that would fit. I wonder which would be the most practical for a vigorous supporting activity?

Far right

Reallyreallybored - I thought the majority were - could only tell because their ankles were a different colour to the rest of them. I think I first noticed it on the Chinese gymnasts. Don't think UK did but I wasn't looking that closely.

And, at the same time, a paralympic athlete was told her choice of bikini bottoms were too revealing and she needed something with more coverage.

Well now we can't have the men accidentally being attracted to a woman with a disability sarcasm cover her up!

I thought the majority were - could only tell because their ankles were a different colour to the rest of them. I think I first noticed it on the Chinese gymnasts. Don't think UK did but I wasn't looking that closely

No- their ankles are taped with skin coloured tape, it does look like tights, but aren’t. Often as well the chalk on legs (to aid grip) makes the legs look a different colour. Tights won’t work under a leotard in gymnastics, too slippy and would need to be footless. It needs to be the thicker lycra and the all in one.

No- their ankles are taped with skin coloured tape, it does look like tights, but aren’t. Often as well the chalk on legs (to aid grip) makes the legs look a different colour. Tights won’t work under a leotard in gymnastics, too slippy and would need to be footless. It needs to be the thicker lycra and the all in one

Oh! Ok, I take that back. I thought they were footless tights. Like dancers have. I guess they get used to it but I can't imagine how exposing and awkward it must feel to be close up under a camera as an adult in just a leotard. I'm a dancer and stopped feeling comfortable even going to a normal lessons without tights at about age 11. Certainly wouldn't go on stage in just a leotard on it's own. If it's needed for the sport then I suppose that's just the way it is but I don't see what's wrong with having legs covered by lycra.

I think some of the Chinese team were wearing sheer tights or similar over a complicated when of strapping on legs. You could see a sheer layer shifting over the tape. I don't think the Chinese team do many tuck/pike moves where having a good grip on legs would be important. But I'm not an expert.

I think the camera angles could be less intrusive though!

It wasn't the Olympics and they did it in full knowledge that they would be fined, specifically as a protest.

It is outrageous that it's a rule for volleyball, but women athletes seem to prefer skimpy outfits in lots of sports where it's not required by the rules. No one makes the runners compete in bra and knickers, or the tennis players in short skirts or the swimmers in costumes with high cut legs. I wonder why they choose them?

@Reallyreallyborednow

I thought the majority were - could only tell because their ankles were a different colour to the rest of them. I think I first noticed it on the Chinese gymnasts. Don't think UK did but I wasn't looking that closely

No- their ankles are taped with skin coloured tape, it does look like tights, but aren’t. Often as well the chalk on legs (to aid grip) makes the legs look a different colour. Tights won’t work under a leotard in gymnastics, too slippy and would need to be footless. It needs to be the thicker lycra and the all in one.

Could also be sock they tend to wear for the floor rutine to help with the floor spins. Saw a few of them wearing them yesterday.

The beach volleyball stuff is ridiculous but like a pp said it is quite interesting to see a lot of the track athletes are effectively in bikini bottoms. Re the gymnastics, I’d rather wear a leotard than the German unitard. It was designed to look pretty low cut (albeit with flesh coloured panels).

No one makes the runners compete in bra and knickers, or the tennis players in short skirts or the swimmers in costumes with high cut legs. I wonder why they choose them?

The key word there is "choose". It's one thing to wear a high cut costume or a shirt skirt by choice and quite another to be forced to wear it due to a rule that states you must look attractive while competing.

I believe Serena Williams got in trouble for wearing a full body outfit like leggings instead of a skirt. She was actually wearing it as she was prone to blood clots but it was still banned. I think it’s ridiculous if you want to play you need to wear a skirt.

It's utterly out rageous I can't believe it really

Female badminton players were told to wear skirts so that they would look feminine and there were plans for female boxers to wear skirts supposedly so that viewers could tell the difference between the male and female competitors Both proposals were dropped after backlash.

Well done to the German gymnastics team!

DD stopped doing gymnastics partly because she was expected to wear leotards with no shorts in competitions. She refused to do this while on her period at the age of 11, so she quit.

@toocold54

I believe Serena Williams got in trouble for wearing a full body outfit like leggings instead of a skirt. She was actually wearing it as she was prone to blood clots but it was still banned. I think it’s ridiculous if you want to play you need to wear a skirt.

LOL at the idea that Serena's body suit was more modest than more traditional tennis attire.

It was only the French Open that banned it, not "tennis" and of course she should have been able to choose, but it was banned for being too revealing, not because the powers that be wanted female athletes dressed "sexily". The exact opposite of the volleyball situation in fact.

@Needapoodle

And, at the same time, a paralympic athlete was told her choice of bikini bottoms were too revealing and she needed something with more coverage.

Well now we can't have the men accidentally being attracted to a woman with a disability sarcasm cover her up!

It was a female judge that complained I think! Utterly bonkers.

Just to give some perspective this does happen the other way as well (not quite as widespread). Women in combat sports get to wear shirts while men are forced to compete topless.. most men will train with shirt on, they don't want to compete topless but are forced to.

@AuntieStella

I think YABU for not realising that the regulation kit codes have changed for most sports.

Beach volleyball and gymnastics both now have more options, including modesty ones, so what the athletes wear is much more their own choice.

The EHT rules for beach volleyball are, I think, anomalous.

I think the Olympics use the IHT ones - can anyone confirm?

Bikinis are standard (but not compulsory) kit for beach volleyball and beach handball (other than tournaments under EHT rules) because of the beach origin of the sport (one piece swimsuits are far less comfortable for both those sports)

Out of curiosity where you are part of a team and have team issued kits, how much say do the athletes have over the kit options and how much is it the national federation/association. In the case of German gymnastics, it sounds like the drive came from the athletes but I often wonder when looking at some of the kit (particularly when it looks uncomfy) whether the athletes had much say or whether it is just given to them.

There was something this year about the British team having custom bra options with some having very specialised requirements but it seemed it was a new thing and not necessarily standard for all countries.