Former and current Team USA athletes have attacked Nike’s skimpy leotards after their uniform for this summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Games was revealed in Paris last week.
The garment that attracts the most attention is a high-cut leotard for athletics stars that barely covers the bikini line.
Images made public Thursday of the women’s uniform on a mannequin, showing a very high panty line, drew criticism from several athletes for what they saw as a decision to prioritize scarcity over function.
Sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson was among American athletes who modeled the controversial outfits at a Nike event in Paris, where the games will be held.
American middle-distance runner Athing Mu was also present. While Mu wore boxers, Richardson wore a version of the outfit with shorts.
Team USA athletes are furious at the tiny jersey (right) designed for Paris 2024
American athlete Athing Mu wore boxers during the team’s uniform unveiling in Paris last week.
Sha’Carri Richardson wore a version of the outfit with shorts and Anna Cockrell wore boxers.
“They’re not made for performance at all,” said American steeplechaser Colleen Quigley.
Hurdler Queen Harrison joked that the European Wax Center should become a sponsor of Team USA because of how high the leotard reaches.
Retired track athlete Lauren Fleshman was fiercely critical on Instagram. She wrote: “Sorry, but show me a WNBA or NWSL team that would wholeheartedly support this uniform.”
This is for Olympic track and field. Professional athletes should be able to compete without dedicating brain space to constant pubic surveillance or the mental gymnastics of having every vulnerable part of their body on display.
‘Women’s kits must be at the service of performance, mentally and physically. If this outfit was truly beneficial for physical performance, men would wear it. This is not an elite sports kit for athletics.
‘This is a costume born of patriarchal forces that are no longer welcome or necessary to bring attention to women’s sports. I’m queer and attracted to female bodies, but I don’t expect or enjoy seeing female athletes or male athletes in a position to fight shyness in their workplace.
‘That’s not part of the job description. I lived that life and I know that excellence is born from consciousness, from freedom and the embodiment of action and instinct. Stop making it harder for half the population @nike @teamUSA @usatf.’
Even athletes from other countries like Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who asked on social media: ‘Was ANY athlete consulted on this team uniform?!?’
Retired track athlete Lauren Fleshman said the ensemble was “born of patriarchal forces that are no longer welcome or necessary.”
Katie Moon, the reigning Olympic pole vault champion sponsored by Nike, offered the company’s most passionate defense on social media.
She began her post by saying that the leotard displayed on the mannequin “was concerning and justified the response it received.”
But she said women had at least 20 different uniform combinations to compete in and could also choose styles made for men.
“When you attack the buns and the crop top by saying something like ‘sexist’ (which if it were our only option, it would be), even if it’s with the best of intentions, you’re ultimately attacking our decision as a woman to wear it,” she said. .
She also posted photos of herself trying on the kit and commented: ‘If this can help put women’s minds at ease a bit… I tried on the same look today and wasn’t worried about… things… coming out.’
‘I think it’s just the mannequin. This felt like the last kit, just with a slightly higher cut. Although I know every body is different, so just my opinion.’
Nike said it was offering athletes bodysuit options with briefs and shorts for these Olympics, while it only offered the brief for the Tokyo Olympics.
Katie Moon, the reigning Olympic pole vault champion, defends Nike on social media
Executive John Hoke insisted that the company worked “directly with athletes at every stage of the design process.”
The men’s and women’s track kits include nearly 50 garments and 12 competition styles for specific events, the brand said in launching the sets.
A USA Track & Field spokesperson said: “Athlete options and choices were USATF’s driving force in the planning process with Nike.”
Nike previously found itself at the center of another uniform debate.
Various Major Leagues Baseball players complained about the fit of the new Nike Vapor Premier during spring training.
Nike has been designing MLB uniforms since 2020 and Fanatics has been making them since 2017, but this marked the first year of the Nike Vapor Premier jerseys.