U.S. track and field athletes are gearing up for the Summer Olympics in Paris. However, it’s not their workout routines or incredible long jumps that have people talking — but rather a skimpy leotard that’s part of the kit for female athletes.
On April 11, Nike unveiled its Team USA track and field kit in Paris, featuring a high-cut bodysuit that barely covers the bikini line.
Photos of the skimpy body suit have amassed thousands of comments from fans online and outrage from more than a few Olympians who claim the design is sexist and way too revealing.
“If the labia are hanging out on a still mannequin, what do we expect to happen to a moving person?” asked a commenter on Instagram.
Fans weren’t the only ones outraged as athletes also had quite a bit to say.
“This is clearly a joke,” commented Femita Ayanbeku, a two-time Paralympian. I’m someone’s mom; I can’t expose myself in such ways. Where are the shorts?!”
“This mannequin is standing still, and everything’s showing… imagine mid flight,” added Paralympic long jumper Jaleen Roberts.
“Wait, my hoo haa is gonna be out,” echoed fellow long jumper Tara Davis-Woodhall.
Many wonder what man designed such an itsy-bitsy suit, demanding to know if any woman was consulted. When asked for a response, Nike pointed to female athletes they consulted with when designing the uniforms, including world champion sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson, who was part of the rollout.
But we couldn’t help but notice that Richardson chose to wear compression shorts over the revealing bodysuit during the Paris unveiling.
Sha’Carri Richardson unveiling the new Nike Team USA Olympic team uniform in Paris 🔥 pic.twitter.com/CqvDap7MAM
— Track Spice 🌶️ (@trackspice) April 11, 2024
Nike executive John Hoke said in a press release that the company worked “directly with athletes throughout every stage of the design process.” USATF backed up the statement, saying, “Athlete options and choices were the driving force for USATF in the planning process with Nike.”
Turns out, the athletes have around four dozen pieces to choose from when piecing together their uniforms for the Olympics, and Richardson took advantage of that with her high-performance shorts ensemble at the Paris reveal. “She looks so good,” wrote one person on X.
The American sprinter, known for her vibrant style and eye-catching hair colors, wouldn’t want to be distracted by any costume malfunctions.
“Professional athletes should be able to compete without dedicating brain space to constant pube vigilance or the mental gymnastics of having every vulnerable piece of your body on display,” wrote author Lauren Fleshman on Instagram.
Meanwhile, @realtslkwithtee points out all the things you cannot do in the bodysuit, including “breathe” and “walk.”
The controversial sneak peek of the Team USA track and field uniforms happened during a Nike Air event in Paris celebrating its Air technology. The event also included looks for other Olympic athletes, such as Kenya’s track and field team, France’s basketball team, and Korea’s break-dancing delegation.
Among the other Team USA uniform options are the compression shorts Richardson wore over the bodysuit, a tank top, and bikini bottoms, which Olympian Anna Cockrell also modeled at the Paris event, and select men’s pieces that women can choose from. Additional options will be revealed at the US Olympic Committee media summit in New York on April 15 — hopefully, none requiring a bikini wax.
