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

[Corksoles]

I've just watched several athletes with tan lines that suggest their usual and thus presumably preferred leg wear is short length. Why isn't that the uniform style for the Olympics? (Although shout out to Ethiopia - nice shorts!)

I can see the track athletes' (and could see the gymnasts') arse cheeks. I don't get it. It makes me feel a bit uncomfortable, not least as presumably a fair chunk will be on their periods. And if I was a rather brilliant 17 year old, on this huge global stage, I think I'd rather wear what I was used to.

Haven't seen one bloke's arse cheek.

YABU - let's see women's arses. Must be for sport and not because these decisions are taken by old men.

YANBU - more functional shorts.

My daughter competed at a national level in artistic swimming. She loved the costumes; the higher the leg the more extended you look in the water etc. Let the criticism, if any, come from the athletes. Otherwise we are just projecting our thoughts onto them while claiming they don’t have choices.

We may live in a world designed for men. But we also live in bodies designed to move. And they move better, generally speaking, in minimal but well fitted and supportive clothing.

Women should not have to cover up for ideological reasons.

@Oftenaddled I didn't say they don't have a choice, but they have a choice from a limited amount of kit.

It's not just about performance is it? Colin Jackson broke the world record in baggy shorts, many men still choose to wear them in many events (even high jump). All athletics kit is so light the difference it'll make will be tiny.

It's about fashion and sponsorship which is fine as long as young athletes are not felt to feel how Jess Ennis Hill felt, uncomfortable but forced to wear it as that's the done thing etc.

What men wear shouldn't affect women's opportunities to wear the clothing that works best for their sport though.

Medals are won and lost on small differences. Some of those differences matter to competitors and they take the hit.

But there is no way spectators should be criticising women for not choosing less functional clothing.

As a competitive but non elite "athlete" in a hot and sweaty sport I train in more layers than I compete in - I train in a long sleeved tech top and leggings under my protective gear and compete in as little as possible... Especially if I've trained in Scotland for a competition in Paris in July...

I'd not wear briefs for running because my thighs chafe, and I suspect that many men, especially sprinters find their muscular thighs rub due to the narrower male pelvis plus additional muscle mass making short shorts uncomfortable.

Women's wider hips might well mean a thigh gap and no chafing misery...

@ForGreyKoala I had quoted an article about an Olympic bronze medalist discussing how happy she is (or isn't, in this case) about what she is wearing. Failing actually meeting an athlete personally, I don't know how else I can find out how they feel.

Anyway I feel like any athlete should be able to wear what they like, but they have to accept that if what they choose to wear impacts on their performance, they won't perform as well as someone else who is wearing something more performance enhancing. There's no getting around it. So our job, as supporters, is to stop commenting on what they're wearing and focus instead on their achievements.

With respect, while I do read it as coming from a real and fair concern, I think you have taken it for granted that bare flesh = sexualisation without considering the real and significant advantage clothing choices create for elite athletes.

That seems unfair on women who are at the Olympics to perform their best and have a lot more invested in getting that right than people watching at home. Women really do need the option of baring flesh to do their best in many sports.

@Oftenaddled I have never once criticised anyone's choice of clothing. I said upthread my kit of choice was always cropped top and knicker shorts. Less was more for me. It shouldn't be expected though. There's a lot of pressure on athletes to conform- I know as I was one.

USA seem to have it right (which is surprising with the media frenzy when the kit was announced). The kit I have seen from GB has been good too- but it's fashion more than performance. Of course all the kit is fit for purpose but the longer shorts/ and vests are so light they won't slow you downs Speed suits were 'in' in the early 90s (Sally Gunnell era) then it moved to cropped tops and now back to speed suits.

Interestingly the top sprinters, She'Carri, Sherika, Shelly Ann usually wear slightly longer shorts and that doesn't seem to affect the huge amount of medals they have between them. Doubt wearing knicker shorts would shave much off their 100 times (they run super speedy looking amazing with their hair, nails etc).

@Natty13 Fell better now after being so sarky?

Same. We bought our water polo competition suits 2 sizes too small to stop the other team being able to use straps to grab on. They are all high necked with a zip up the back. They weren’t comfortable but that kind of isn’t the point at a certain level. They got the job done better than a regular swim suit.

I personally just don't want to see people's arses or other parts of their bodies. I hated being around topless men in the small town we were at on holiday in Italy and was glad when they were asked to cover up by the locals as the locals found it disrespectful. Same for the girl who they asked to cover up who was with them in the ice cream parlour.

How do you cope around art galleries?

Thanks - no I haven't seen you criticise, and I'm sorry if I implied that. You'll have seen that many other posters are doing so, and that the thread is about this idea that women "should" wear different clothing!

Athletes want to perform at their personal best. Those with very high profiles and from wealthy countries can benefit from latest technologies, experimental fabrics etc. Some longer clothes will reduce cramping, help muscles etc.

But as a basic principle, minimal but supportive sports clothing is a proven formuls for aerodynamics. Big hair is a very tiny disadvantage in some sports but women (and men) will balance that against other priorities. That's their right, and women wearing short shorts are prioritising performance.

I would like it if there were rules stating that athletes must wear shorts, not pants, and then no one would have their bum hanging out for a competitive advantage. I would like all swimsuits and leotards to be cut so that bum cheeks are covered. I don’t want to see anyone hoiking their kit out of their crack ever again. There are very strict rules about e.g. swimsuits for swimmers rather than divers, so it’s definitely doable. And the appalling rule on women’s beach volleyball kit should be abolished pronto. If the men can play in baggy shorts, why must the women have briefs no larger than a certain size?

I don't think it would be reasonable to forbid athletes to show flesh that is legally displayed on every beach in the country.

I don't see why they should be subjected to more restrictive rules than the rest of us, when their performance in their profession is at stake.

@winstinsandgins yes, this exactly what I thought re jewellery and nails. I used to dance lots and earrings were a big no no for safety reasons.

Ah yeah, I guess they should fuck up their chances of a medal by wearing something less easy to compete in, but more modest.

It is quite surprising, but I suppose there's a stage where coaches and federations have to recognise that athletes are fully informed adults. Could a lot of it be designed to pop / snap off easily? Not my field ...

Can you explain these “very strict rules” for
swimmers? Knee-suits aren’t mandated, swimmers just wear them because they are fast. The suits that are banned are actually full-body suits, and any material above the waist for male swimmers. So it’s actually suits that cover too much skin that are banned.

And beach volleyball players can wear whatever they want, the rules were changed 3 years ago.

The fear of beautiful athletic bodies on this thread is extraordinary. Please never go to an art gallery or life drawing class.

I feel uncomfortable actually it's just not for me. When we went to the museums it was breathtaking and it was a different setting Art is Art my mind set was were in a museum it's expected, it's of the time period but I'm just not fussed about being around naked statues, people (unless it's my husband) or scantily clad people. Sport or no sport.

If that's what's floats your boat knock yourself out. I'm sure if a rule was suddenly introduced that you had to be naked at work or be scantily dressed you wouldn't be happy?

I think I remember an interview with Jessica Ennis Hill where she was saying that it's the media and camera angles that made her feel uncomfortable in the outfits. When you jump or run (of flip, dive etc depending on the sport), nobody is close enough to you to see your butt cheeks or crotch or anything that would make you uncomfortable. But on TV, the cameras zoom in for close ups and slow motion replays that show everything the audience, judges and fellow competitors do not. Then those close ups are used as stills, blown up and posted all over the internet. I can see why athletes feel uncomfortable with that, even though they are likely to feel perfectly comfortable with their outfit. How many of us feel absolutely fine to wear a bikini at the beach but would be less fine with a camera at butt level following our jog down to the sea?!

I do think they have choice though. Certainly in the athletics. You see a range of outfits. I was surprised how many of the female triathletes chose swimsuits over tri suits. It looked SO painful when they skidded off their bikes onto bare skin! Though I don't suppose a layer of lycra would give them much protection.

Also, this is more about overall presentation than outfit specifically, but I think this interview quote from Imani Lara Lansiquot shows that these athletes are powerful women in control of their choices and presentation.

We’re such complex people and we’re so big in expressing ourselves through our actions. But even on a superficial level, I remember I had a picture that I posted during the “how it started and how it’s going” trend and it went semi-viral and so many people were messaging me saying “I didn’t know that athletes wore makeup”, “I didn’t know athletes did their hair”, “I didn’t know that they were actually feminine”.
I think that those things are fun, and it showed people that we’re not just like these hulks on the start line – we like to glam up, we like to embrace our femininity and I’m definitely an advocate for that through and through. Race day is like club nights for us, like we’re going out!
I have a whole race makeup routine that is quite serious to me. Last year, I had themes before every race and I would get my followers to choose what theme I would do for my next race, whether that be butterfly nails, or I would have lightning bolts – I had that for British Championships or even flames and I would match my makeup to my nails and people really found that cool.
It’s all part of the confidence for me and I will plan out my hairstyles and my nails before I race and it’s just part of the package of standing on the start line and feeling really fierce and really confident. I love changing my hair all the time. I do get a few questions from more so black girls about how I race with certain hairstyles and what kinds of things I would advise. I think generally just the package of putting some effort into your race day look I’ve definitely seen a lot of people messaging me and reacting off that and really enjoying it.”

Thinking of the similar thread about the gymnasts, I imagine this is how a lot of them feel too. People were saying on that thread that this is sport not arts and performance/appearance shouldn't come into it but, for these athletes, the olympics is a performance for them - the biggest performance of their lives. The number of people who follow their careers between olympics and watch all the other meets is relatively small. Most of us are 4 year fans and the athletes want to make the most of that attention on what several of them have referred to in interview as 'their biggest stage.'

Most men and many women do not want to fuss with their appearance, especially for sport. That's fine allowed. But some men and many women do want to and that should also be fine and allowed.

I was just watching a video of Olga Korbut performing in a plain white leotard that covers her bottom.
There's no need to have them cut as high as they are.
I wonder who decides that the female gymnast’s leotards are as cut away as they are.

I don't know but it could be the gymnasts themselves. I was a dancer (not professional but competitive) and also had severe body image issues and an eating disorder. But I still chose higher cut leotards because they make your legs look longer and slimmer so are actually more flattering. A lower cut might cover more but it doesn't give the same body line. The gymnasts might also feel that the higher cut leotards look better.

Purely anecdotal opinion but all the gymnastics fans I know are female and many are children. The athletes seem to be performing for an overwhelmingly female audience who are in awe of their artistry and skill, not men looking at their butt cheeks. I'm sure there are a few creepy people out there doing that but it's hardly a Baywatch style audience, is it.

If you'd worn shorts would you still have pranced?

How about getting behind our female athletes, who have worked hard for years to get where they are today. These are the kind of role models our kids should be looking up to. I couldn't care less what they wear , as long as they feel comfortable and are confident. Less of the pearl clutching!