The new Olympic attire for the women’s track and field team has sparked controversy for its revealing cut, offending athletes and fans of the sport who feel the design is inappropriate.
A leotard shown as one of the options for Team USA’s track and field has been criticized for its ultra high cut on the hips, which many have said exposes too much and is uncomfortable
This new uniform is part of Nike’s campaign that came out last week, which revealed a range of new styles and silhouettes for athletes in the 2024 olympics.
Complaints surrounding the design further ensued when Citius Mag, an online magazine that covers track and field, released a side-by-side comparison of the men and women’s uniforms, as critics found the stark differences troubling.
The backlash comes less than two months after Nike was scrutinized for its uniforms designed for Major League Baseball players, with many arguing they appeared to be transparent and of poor quality.
Responding to the widespread criticism, Nike said female runners are not limited to the leotard and can choose from the new line which reportedly has around 50 styles to choose from, including shorts.
The company’s spokesperson said that it took females athletes’ comfort especially seriously, adding that this is why they raised the neckline for tops.
“We showcased some of the new Olympic uniforms at the Nike On Air experience in Paris- but, as we are a few months from the Games and working with limited samples in a limited format presentation, not all looks and styles were featured,” the spokesperson said.
USA Track and Field said its athletes were consulted during the design process, hence the variations. “Athlete options and choices were the driving force for USATF in the planning process with Nike,” the USATF said in a statement.
CEO of the U.S. Olympics and Paralympic Committee, Sarah Hirshland said she supports the athletes having a variety of options to choose from.
Yet Lauren Fleshman, a U.S. national champion for distance running, argued that Nike’s track and field kit in particular presented on the mannequin lacked the professionalism that major league female athletes deserve.
“Women’s kits should be in service to performance, mentally and physically. If this outfit was truly beneficial to physical performance, men would wear it,” she wrote in an Instagram post.
