The original Olympic athletes competed in the nude, but as the games have evolved over the centuries, so have their uniforms. However, Nike’s new Team USA women’s track and field uniform has sparked backlash for a cut that some say gets too close to what the ancient athletes wore.
The new Team USA track and field design for men includes a standard tank top and shorts, while the women’s uniform is a one-piece featuring a high-cut bikini line. The cut has sparked backlash, including from several current and former Olympic athletes, who criticize it for a lack of coverage and function.
How Team USA track and field athletes responded to new uniforms
Former U.S. track and field athlete Lauren Fleshman took issue with the design, calling it a “costume born of patriarchal forces” in an Instagram post.
“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,” Fleshman wrote. “Women’s kits should be in service to performance, mentally and physically.”
Nike Chief Innovation Officer John Hoke said in a press release that Nike worked with athletes to develop the uniforms and ensure their functionality and comfort.
“Nike designed the Paris 2024 track and field kits to offer athletes a range of silhouettes tailored for various sport disciplines, body types and sizes, prioritizing performance and maximum breathability,” Hoke said.
Tiffany Hogan, an assistant coach for BYU Track & Field who represented Team USA in the heptathlon in the 2004 Athens Games, expressed her hope that the women’s uniform looks better on a person than it does on a mannequin.
“That cut looks like it’s extremely high and would be incredibly uncomfortable to wear. Whether that’s how it fits on a regular human body, I don’t know,” Hogan said. “If that’s how it looked on my body, I would not be wearing it because it would not be comfortable.”
Hogan added that the Team USA athletes have other uniform options, so they don’t have to wear the leotard. Athletes can choose from a number of uniforms, including a tank top or halter top, boy-cut bottoms or briefs, and even a full-length bodysuit, which is helpful in colder weather or for athletes who prefer the clothing for religious reasons.
Hogan said the different uniform styles don’t affect performance; rather, it’s a matter of personal choice. A two-piece may be more convenient for some, but the comfort of each style varies based on an athlete’s individual body type.
“I have ladies that I’m coaching now that prefer one over the other, and it’s just (about) comfort,” she said. “I just hope they picked a really bad mannequin for that picture.”