Nike’s Olympic Track Uniforms Spark Outrage Among Female Athletes
Nike unveiled its track and field uniforms for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics on Thursday, but the reveal was met with swift backlash from current and former athletes who criticized the women’s attire as overly revealing and sexist.
The sportswear giant showcased a men’s uniform consisting of a compression tank top and mid-thigh shorts, while the women’s bodysuit featured a notably high-cut design that many deemed unnecessarily skimpy.
Athletes Slam “Sexist” and “Disrespectful” Design
Olympians and professional runners took to social media to express their disapproval of the women’s uniform. Sha’Carri Richardson, who modeled the unitard at the unveiling event, opted for the compression shorts version of the outfit. Other athletes were far less diplomatic in their criticism.
Two-time Team USA Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku commented on Instagram, “This is clearly a joke,” adding, “I’m a mom, I can’t be exposing myself in such ways. Where are the shorts?!” Queen Harrison Claye, an Olympic hurdler, sarcastically suggested that the European Wax Center should sponsor the team.
“Professional athletes should be able to compete without having to constantly worry about pubic coverage or the mental gymnastics of exposing every vulnerable body part,”
wrote Lauren Fleshman, a two-time U.S. champion distance runner, on Instagram.
“This is not an elite athletic kit for track and field. This is a costume, born of patriarchal forces that no longer have a place or need to gain attention for women’s sports.”
Athletes from other countries joined in the condemnation. Canadian hurdler Sage Watson said, “Yeah, that’s a no from me,” while English long jumper Abigail Irozuru questioned, “Was ANY female athlete consulted in this team kit?!”
Sprinter Britton Wilson, who holds the American indoor 400m record, mocked the font choice, asking, “Why is the font Comic Sans?”
Concerns Over Modesty and Performance
The main point of contention was the extremely high-cut legs on the women’s bodysuit, which many worried would be overly revealing and distracting during competition.
“If the labia are peeking out on a stationary mannequin, what can we anticipate from a moving person?” asked professional trail runner Grayson Murphy.
Others expressed anxiety over the potential for embarrassing wardrobe malfunctions.
“Wait my lady parts are gonna be exposed,” commented long jump star Tara Davis-Woodhall.
Two-time Paralympic silver medalist Jaleen Roberts raised concerns about the suit riding up uncomfortably.
In addition to modesty issues, critics argued that the skimpy cut could negatively impact athletic performance by causing athletes to feel self-conscious and distracted.
“Women’s kits should prioritize performance, both mentally and physically,” Fleshman wrote. “If this outfit truly enhanced physical performance, men would wear it.”
Nike Defends “Performance-Driven” Design
Nike has yet to directly address the social media furor, but in an interview with CBS Sports, Janett Nichol, the company’s VP of apparel innovation, touted the uniforms’ high-tech design process using athlete data and advanced technology like 3D body scans and motion capture.
“We’ve been able to incorporate athlete feedback, along with data, to create something that allows us to reach an unprecedented level of precision, accuracy, and detail,“ Nichol said, describing the uniforms as “performance-driven.”
However, many remain skeptical that the women’s high-cut silhouette was truly necessary for peak athletic performance. “It’s honestly disrespectful,” said one commenter on Instagram. “Which man designed the woman’s cut?”
Part of a Larger Fight Against Sexist Dress Codes
The controversy is the latest flare-up in an ongoing reckoning over sexist dress codes and the hypersexualization of women’s bodies in sports. In recent years, female athletes have increasingly pushed back against uniform regulations that prioritize sex appeal over comfort, performance, and personal agency.
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In 2021, the Norwegian women’s beach handball team was fined for wearing shorts instead of the mandated bikini bottoms. That same year, Paralympic sprinter Olivia Breen spoke out after an official told her that her competition briefs were “too short and inappropriate”.
From the handball courts to the tennis courts, where women at Wimbledon have begun wearing dark shorts under their skirts in defiance of the tournament’s all-white dress code, to the soccer pitch, where teams at the 2023 Women’s World Cup ditched their usual white shorts over period anxiety, female athletes are demanding more choice and less scrutiny over their competition attire.
“It is a narrow-minded way of thinking to say, ‘This is how clothing has been, so this is how it has to be,’ instead of saying, ‘We need to start making decisions that allow more people to participate and more people to train in ways that make them feel comfortable,'” said Katie Sveinson, an assistant professor of sport and recreation management at Temple University.
As the 2024 Paris Olympics approach, the heated debate over Nike’s track uniforms has made one thing clear: the days of women athletes staying silent about sexist double standards are over. With the whole world watching, the upcoming Games could prove a pivotal battleground in the fight for more inclusive, functional, and empowering athletic wear.