Chaps, how the devil are we going to make sure that these little ladies remember that their uppercuts and right hooks don't remotely hurt?

[Lexilicious]

Oh yes. Gender specific clothing. Bravo. Cigar?

(parallel thread to In the News)

Well I find it very difficult to tell if a person in trousers is a bloke, a bird or (god forbid) transgender, so I'm all for it.

Seriously, do these dufuses have nothing better to occupy their time than worrying over whether a female boxer looks feminine enough? Blinking heck.

It's hilarious. God forbid women should step outside of the feminine box, eh? 'Shit. These ladies are knocking hells bells out of each other. Yet they have vaginas! Does. Not. Compute. Stick a skirt on them and we can pretend they're rolling in jelly'. If they insist on skirts for the women, I insist that the men wear giant codpieces. Just so there's no confusion.

I think the women competing in the dressage should ride side-saddle in full crinoline. Heck, why not the full three day eventing!

The lady runners should wear dresses. And the shot putters must have full make-up. Not sure how we should feminise the swimmers, perhaps make them race in heels while dragging some knitting?

what a ridiculous idea.

sew their own medal ribbons?

You've all missed the point IMO. What are ladies doing thinking they can exert themselves like this? Don't they know their wombs might fall out? Or a man might see them sweat and then they'll never marry. It's a much bigger issue

disqualify any with less than a B cup

Oh I love MN. The whole train compartment is staring at me as I laugh out loud at your posts!

we will also need to change the colours. Blue is so manly

I suggest a nice turquoise and maybe a cerise.

and as for those head protectors. they will simply have to go, whats the point of doing your hair if no one will see? not to mention the fact they squish my earrings

we could do with a bit of a heel on those boots too

Well, exactly, Valar. They will all have lovely long hair, obviously, so some sort of elaborate braid arrangement should be quite sufficient.

pff surely swimmers should be in nice flowery push-up bikinis, none of this boring stuff.

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=vintage+sportswomen&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1366&bih=571&tbm=isch&tbnid=sAzDwyZuKO98TM:&imgrefurl=temple-news.com/tag/1-27-09/page/2/&docid=bvR5obX4PDuflM&imgurl=farm4.static.flickr.com/3470/3230205352_f170e0d56a.jpg&w=340&h=500&ei=_UQXT7TeH5S98gObkdTdAg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=684&vpy=181&dur=3027&hovh=272&hovw=185&tx=97&ty=178&sig=109318723438365993975&page=6&tbnh=122&tbnw=83&start=141&ndsp=32&ved=1t:429,r:12,s:141" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">girls can't play ball

Don't forget the glitter! Don't forget the glitter!

Ooh, and maybe a sash to set the whole outfit off. Mmm...I like!

Skirts aside, has womens boxing really only just become an Olympic sport, just now, for the forthcoming games this year?

Having looked at a few articles on this, seems that in women's boxing both forms of dress are in use. The choice here is about whether to standardise for a specific event (not uncommon in a variety of sports), and if they do which would it be. There are women boxers on both sides - perhaps they should just fight it out?

Mitchier Yes, it was quite a big deal when the London bid won, as I think the host country can introduce a sport or a demonstration sport or something. Don't know whether it has full status this time but it is definitely the first time women's boxing has been done at the Olympics.

All other Olympic sports are done by both men and women but may have slightly different rules and/or standards. I think the horsey sports are the only ones that men and women compete against each other. It has always bothered me that gymnastics has partly strength but also 'artistic' floor routines for the women while it is purely athletic for the men. And in track & field, I am not sure but I think the women do heptathlon while the men do decathlon?

I was looking at and thinking about these things in the night, feel a bit stupid for not properly noticing the disparate medal winning potential before. I mean I sort of knew but didn't.

Obsessed with body building at the moment and increasingly irritated by people (men and women people) who genuinely think women should 'tone' with lighter weights when actually there is little if any difference in training. You can lift heavy weights, you won't look like you've been injecting steroids. You won't grow a schlong a beard or start fancying clunge. It is nice to be strong.

my god.

I literally can't believe it.