CitiusMag via X
Nike's design for the U.S. women's team's attire on the right can be seen in an image posted to X by @CitiusMag.
CNN
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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 outfit was truly beneficial to physical performance, men would wear it too.
“This is not an elite sports kit for athletics. This is a costume born of patriarchal power, and drawing attention to women's sports is no longer welcome or necessary.”
Other athletes have also expressed concerns, including American long jumper Tara Davis Woodhall, who posted on Instagram, “Wait, the hoo-ha is out.”
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.
“Working directly with athletes at every stage of the design process, Nike designed the garments to ensure a fit for a variety of body types and style preferences, injecting real-time feedback throughout the product development cycle.” Nike said. said John Hawke, Chief Innovation Officer. said in a release.
A spokesperson for USA Track and Field (USATF) also told CNN that the presentation costumes are just two of many options “including 50 unique items.”
“Athletes' choices and choices were the driving force for USATF in 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 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.
“I can honestly say that on the most important day of our careers, we choose the clothes we wear to appease the men who are watching over us to feel the most comfortable, confident, and perform to the best of our abilities.” If you think about it, that’s pretty disgusting,” 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.
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 said was a statement against “sexual orientation.”
