Women's gymnastics at Olympics

[purplesequins]

Tokyo Olympics: German women's gymnastics team wears full-body suits

well done them. they look great!
I really hope other countries follow suit. and soon. and also on county level.

It's just great. Leotards are ridiculously exposing. The Irish gymnast I saw yesterday even had a white lower half of the leotard. WHO would design that? A bloke or a blokes decision no doubt.

I think it's time for the gymnasts to start to be listened to. Their needs and wants have been ignored for decades. Them being 'just girls' has a lot to answer for.

The German unitards made their debut at Europeans in April. I think they look great
www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56858863

I think that Gymnastics should offer a range of options for gymnasts in the same way as female athletes. Many gymnasts seem to train in shorts but they aren't allowed in competition.

I would also hope that gymnastics could move away from the burlesque style leotards - some of the ones from the US championships were horribly and sexualising of teenage athletes

Gentle reminder that it's women's (not ladies')
Just as its men's (not gentlemen's)

And the dress regulations changed a while back, just as they did for beach volleyball and for (non-EHT) beach handball.

I hope that the EHT will realise how indefensible their position is and make changes rapidly.

Good action by Pink!

I type this with with much trepidation, especially on MN and in this part of MN, but please read it and consider the view a serious one:

I was watching the Olympics round-up show on the BBC last night, part of which was women's gymnastics, which I do find incredible. At one point there was a very brief mention of one country campaigning against the over-sexualization of the sport: Germany and their unitards. I think more could have been said, but I suppose it was early in the evening (before 9 o'clock).

Anyway, they soon moved on to the GB women and they showed an excellent floor routine by Jennifer Gadirova (16) her acrobatic tumbles were superb, but in between, she did what I would only describe as lapdancing: loads of 'thrusting moves', over the shoulder coquettish looks and winking etc. I repeat she is 16 years of age. The commentator praised the routine saying it was 'full of character' and I was thinking, well that is one way to describe it, I suppose...

But seriously, how can they stamp out sexualization in the sport, with stuff like that going on? They didn't show any floor routine work from the German team, but I'd be interested to know if theirs was markedly different?

Its a step in the right direction, the unitards look great!

Gentle reminder that it's women's (not ladies')
Just as its men's (not gentlemen's)

Thanks @VikingVolva (and the OP for emailing us) we've edited the title now.

I've seen some of the german routine.
as far as I could see they dis some of the elaborate arm waving but nothing extreme which is possibly the reason they missed the final

thanks @MichaelMumsnet

@patkinney I think l we must have been watching different routines as I certainly didn’t see any lap dancing going on. Watched with my 9 & 7 year old children and I don’t recall feeling that it was in any way inappropriate - aside from the leotards.

Gadirova's routine is not "lapdancing". All gymnasts have to fulfil certain requirements during the floor exercise (FX), including tumbling, leaps and dance elements. Both the Gadirova twins are exceptionally strong on this event and have had some actual dance training - they also compete very high difficulty for such young gymnasts. There is a requirement for artistry in the code of points, so failing to be expressive and "sell" the routine can get a gymnast deductions in their execution score.

@MichaelMumsnet

Gentle reminder that it's women's (not ladies') Just as its men's (not gentlemen's)

Thanks @VikingVolva (and the OP for emailing us) we've edited the title now.

What’s this about in regard to ladies and gentleman?

OK - @Innocenta and @OlivesTree I accept your viewpoints.

I don't know much about gymnastics, its one of those things that I follow only every four years (5 this time) at the Olympics.

It just seemed a contradiction last night when the commentator spoke about the campaign the German team were supporting, which was immediately followed by a GB routine that I felt to be borderline 'lolitaesque', but I concede the use of the term 'lapdancing' was ott. Apologies.

I don’t hope that more women follow suit, I hope they they feel comfortable to if they want to. It’s really great that Germany have led the charge on this and have taken the headlines so that if in the future other gymnasts want to wear the full length unitards they can. Some gymnasts won’t want to and that’s fine as well. Personally I think a better change to the rules would be to allow the women to wear shorts. This is starting in domestic competitions at the moment and I think many many more gymnasts would choose shorts over a unitard.

I don't see leotards as sexualised in the same way I don't see a ballerina's leotard as sexualised. I just see the strength and athleticism. (However, I DO understand why audience who do not often follow ballet/gym might feel that way).
This seems to me to be distracting from the bigger issue this Olympics which is that a 40+ year old MAN is competing in the women's section - a place that would normally be for a 20 something woman. Why isn't this causing more outrage??

The article says the team wanted to make youngsters feel safe in the sport I don't want then to feel safe, I want them to be safe so whilst allowing freedom to choose outfit styles is a step in the right direction there is still a long way to go

I don't see leotards as sexualised in the same way I don't see a ballerina's leotard as sexualised. I just see the strength and athleticism. (However, I DO understand why audience who do not often follow ballet/gym might feel that way)

I agree but actually having the legs covered emphasises the athleticism.

This seems to me to be distracting from the bigger issue this Olympics which is that a 40+ year old MAN is competing in the women's section - a place that would normally be for a 20 something woman. Why isn't this causing more outrage??
Can you elaborate this for me please? I tried googling as I haven’t heard or seen any information about a trans athlete. Thank you.

@NonagonInfinityOpensTheDoor

I can’t think of the name but there’s an Italian track athlete and a NZ weight lifter.

I think there’s 9(?) in total this year.

The unitards look so hot and uncomfortable. Can't they just wear shorts over a leotard? And I agree with a PP that the awful winking and flirty dancing is even worse than a leotard.

And why not just wear a leotard? I think it's a bit sinister than women feel they need to cover up.

@NonagonInfinityOpensTheDoor
The Italian athlete is in the Paralympics: www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-57338207.amp

Body builder: www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/sport/2021/jun/21/olympics-tokyo-laurel-hubbard-trans-weightlifter-new-zealand

Personally I think a better change to the rules would be to allow the women to wear shorts. This is starting in domestic competitions at the moment and I think many many more gymnasts would choose shorts over a unitard

I seriously doubt many many more gymnasts will pick shorts if they are allowed. At high and elite levels the margin of victory is often very small. Are these gymnasts going to put up with fabric flapping around their legs and increased aerodynamic drag? I highly doubt it. Shorts are allowed in athletics. You go and count how many sprinters and jumpers wear them at the big competitions.

Perhaps at low level stuff around the country but elite level competition? I highly doubt shorts will catch on.

@Bryonyshcmyony

And why not just wear a leotard? I think it's a bit sinister than women feel they need to cover up.

Do you feel the same way about male gymnasts?

I actually find it odd that they wear full leggings tbh. It looks very hot!

I think it's brilliant to see so many women taking a stand on this issue.

There's absolutely no reason why women are expected to wear "skimpy" attire compared with their male counterparts.

Elite sportswear should be functional in the sense it improves the performance of the competitor, be that physically or psychologically.