Nike鈥檚 new outfit design for the U.S. women鈥檚 Olympic team has been widely criticized on social media by athletes and fans alike, with one former U.S. athlete describing it as a 鈥渃ostume born of patriarchal forces.鈥�
Images of both the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 outfits dressed on mannequins were made public last week as part of a kit launch ahead of Paris 2024.
The picture of the women鈥檚 leotard on display had a high-cut bikini line and triggered a wave of criticism.
鈥淧rofessional 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,鈥� former U.S. track and field athlete Lauren Fleshman wrote in an post.
鈥淲omen鈥檚 kits should be in service to performance, mentally and physically. If this outfit was truly beneficial to physical performance, men would wear it.
鈥淭his is not an elite athletic kit for track and field. This is a costume born of patriarchal forces that are no longer welcome or needed to get eyes on women鈥檚 sports.鈥�
Other athletes have also voiced concerns, including U.S. long jumper Tara Davis-Woodhall, who posted a comment on Instagram which read: 鈥淲ait my hoo haa is gonna be out.鈥�
Nike told CNN in a statement that the leotard design will be one of a range of styles to choose from, in addition to tailoring options available for the upcoming Olympic Games.
In a last week, Nike said all its designs were produced in partnership with athletes鈥� needs.
鈥淲orking directly with athletes throughout every stage of the design process, Nike designed garments to ensure fit across a range of body types and style preferences, and infused real-time feedback throughout the entire product development cycle,鈥� John Hoke, Nike Chief Innovation Officer, said in the .
A spokesperson for USA Track and Field (USATF) also told CNN that the outfits in the launch were just two of many options 鈥渋ncluding 50 unique pieces鈥�
鈥淎thlete options and choices were the driving force for USATF in the planning process with Nike,鈥� USATF said in a statement.
鈥淯SATF is also aware that Nike consulted with athletes throughout the design process to ensure that all athletes are comfortable and that the uniforms are well-suited for their respective events.鈥�
Olympic champion pole vaulter Katie Moon, a Nike athlete herself, said the picture of the outfit on the mannequin was 鈥渃oncerning鈥� and 鈥渨arranted the response it received鈥� but confirmed other options were available to athletes should they choose.
鈥淚f you honestly think that on the most important days of our careers we鈥檙e choosing what we wear to appease the men watching over what we鈥檙e most comfortable and confident in, to execute to the best of our abilities, that鈥檚 pretty offensive,鈥� she wrote in a on Instagram.
However, in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Fleshman posted a that read, 鈥楥itius, altius, fortius, sexiest,鈥� a play on words in reference to the former Olympic motto of 鈥淔aster, Higher, Stronger.鈥�
Her post was headlined: 鈥淣ew Olympic Motto released in honor of new Team USA Track and Field Uniform reveal!鈥�
The criticism comes amid a long-running call for change which centers around an overpolicing of women鈥檚 apparel or outfits sexualizing women鈥檚 sport.
At Tokyo 2020, for example, the German women鈥檚 gymnastics team to wear bikini-cut unitards in favor of full-body versions, in what the German Gymnastics Federation branded a statement against 鈥渟exualization.鈥�
