Nike's new costume design for the U.S. women's Olympic team has been widely criticized by athletes and fans on social media, with one former U.S. athlete calling it a “costume born of patriarchal power.” Image mannequins of both the male and female outfits worn were unveiled last week as part of a kit launch ahead of the Paris 2024 Games. Photos of women's leotards on display showed a high-cut bikini line, sparking a wave of criticism. “Professional athletes should be able to compete without using their brains,” former U.S. track and field athlete Lauren Fleshman wrote in an Instagram post. A space for the mental exercise of showing all the parts,” former U.S. track and field athlete Lauren Fleshman wrote in an Instagram post. “If this costume was truly beneficial to physical performance, men would wear it too. This is not elite athletic kit for track and field. This is a costume born of patriarchal forces and is no longer welcome. “Leotard designs will be available in a wide range of styles in addition to tailored options for the upcoming Olympics,” Nike said in a statement to CNN. Nike said in a press release last week that all designs were produced in China in partnership with the needs of athletes. “Nike worked directly with athletes throughout every step of the design process to ensure our garments fit a variety of body types and style preferences, injecting real-time feedback throughout the product development cycle.” says John. Hawk, Nike's chief innovation officer, said in a statement. A spokesperson for USA Track and Field (USATF) also told CNN that the presentation attire is just two of many options “including 50 unique items.” “Athlete choice and choice was a driving force for USATF in the planning process with Nike,” USATF said in a statement. “USATF also recognizes that Nike consults with athletes throughout the design process to ensure that all athletes are comfortable and that the uniforms are a good fit for their bodies.” Katie Moon, a Nike athlete herself, said the photo of the mannequin outfit was “concerning” and that “the reaction it received was understandable,” but that athletes could choose to acknowledged that options are also available. If on the most important day of our careers, we're choosing the clothes we wear to appease the men watching us to feel the most comfortable, confident, and perform to the best of our abilities. If you honestly think so, that's pretty unpleasant. However, Freshman wrote in an Instagram post: But in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, she posted a photo with the caption “Citius, Altius, Fortius, Sexiest,” a play on words from the old Olympic motto. Related video above: German Olympic gymnast opts for full body suit during Tokyo Olympics Her post was headlined “To celebrate the unveiling of Team USA’s new track and field uniforms, a new Olympic motto has been unveiled! '' is in the midst of criticism. Long-standing calls for change center around the over-policing of women's apparel and costumes that sexualize women's sports. For example, at Tokyo 2020, the German women's gymnastics team refused to wear a bikini-cut unitard in favor of a full-body version. The German Gymnastics Federation called this a statement against “sexual orientation.”
Nike's new costume design for the U.S. women's Olympic team has been widely criticized by athletes and fans on social media, with one former U.S. athlete calling it a “costume born of patriarchal power.”
Images of the men's and women's costumes on mannequins were released last week as part of a kit launch ahead of the Paris 2024 Games.
Photos of women's leotards on display showed a high-leg bikini line, sparking a wave of criticism.
Former U.S. track and field athlete Lauren Fleshman wrote in an Instagram post, “Professional athletes spend their brain space on constant vigilance of their private parts and mental gymnastics that expose every vulnerable part of their bodies. “They should be able to compete without it.”
“Women's kit should benefit their performance both mentally and physically. If this costume really benefits physical performance, men will wear it too.”
“This is not elite athletics kit for athletics. This is an outfit born of patriarchal forces, and drawing attention to women's sport is no longer welcome or necessary.”
Nike said in a statement to CNN that the leotard design will include a wide range of styles to choose from, along with tailored options for the upcoming Olympics.
Nike said in a press release last week that all of its designs are created in partnership with the needs of athletes.
“We work directly with athletes at every stage of the design process to ensure our garments fit a variety of body types and preferred styles, providing real-time feedback throughout the product development cycle,” said John Hawk, Nike Chief Innovation Officer. “We have injected feedback.” said in a release.
A spokesperson for USA Track and Field (USATF) also told CNN that the presentation attire is just two of many options “including 50 unique items.”
“Athletes' choices and choices were the driving force for USATF during the planning process with Nike,” USATF said in a statement.
“USATF also recognizes that Nike consulted with athletes throughout the design process to ensure all athletes were comfortable and the uniforms were appropriate for their respective sports.”
Katie Moon, an Olympic champion pole vaulter and a Nike athlete herself, said the photo of the mannequin's outfit was “concerning” and that the “reaction was understandable”, but that the athlete's choice He acknowledged that other options are available.
“We choose what we wear to appease the men watching over us to feel the most comfortable, confident, and at our best on the most important day of our careers.” If you honestly think that's the case, that's pretty offensive,'' she wrote in an Instagram post.
However, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Freshman wrote “Citius, Altius, Fortius, Sexiest,'' a play on words from the old Olympic motto “Faster, Higher, Stronger.'' I posted a photo of what was written.
Related video above: German Olympic gymnast opts for full body suit during Tokyo Olympics
Her post was captioned, “To celebrate the unveiling of Team USA's new track and field uniforms, the new Olympic motto has been unveiled!”
The criticism comes amid long-standing calls for change, especially over the over-policing of women's apparel and clothing that sexualizes women's sports.
At Tokyo 2020, for example, Germany's women's gymnastics team refused to wear a bikini-cut unitard in favor of a full-body version, which the German Gymnastics Federation called a statement against “sexual orientation.”
