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NEW YORK, N.Y. — Past and present Olympians are coming to the apparel giant’s defense as Nike comes under fire for its first social media firestorm at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Nike at an event in Paris on Thursday. An image of Nike’s U.S. track and field uniform mannequin has sparked a wave of criticism online that the company and its athletes are currently working to contain. Images released as part of her uniform reveal showed a women’s bodysuit with a high-cut hip that critics have derided as sexist.
2020 Olympic long jumper and 2024 Olympic hopeful Tara Davis-Woodhall commented under a photo of a mannequin on Instagram: “Hold on, there’s a hoo-ha.”
“I was a little shocked and surprised when I saw the uniform,” four-time gold medalist Sanya Richards-Ross told Yahoo Sports at Team USA’s media summit on Tuesday. She said, “I think the overall design is beautiful, but ultimately I think it should be very comfortable so athletes can do their best on the track.”
Forgotten in the frenzy of immediate criticism was the fact that the high-cut bodysuit was just one of about 50 costume options. Nike and the many athletes hoping to wear the uniform in Paris this summer emphasize that the high-cut bodysuit is one of several options available, including compression shorts and full-length bodysuits. did.
“That was the photo, [didn’t do] It’s justice,” Davis-Woodhall said Tuesday. “I saw [the uniforms] today. Very beautiful, but different from the photo. ”
Nike officials also noted that they consulted athletes throughout the uniform creation process. “We work directly with athletes at every step of the design process,” John Hawk, Nike’s chief innovation officer, said in a statement. “Nike designed its garments to ensure a secure fit for a variety of body types and style preferences, and injected real-time feedback throughout the product development cycle.”
“I remember at the World Championships there was an area where athletes could try on clothes and give feedback, so they were definitely being consulted,” said Gabby Thomas, a two-time medalist in Tokyo. he told Yahoo Sports on Tuesday. “So I think everyone was a little shocked when they saw the photo, because no athlete would have agreed with the way it looked. But it doesn’t really look like that.”
Thomas pointed out that despite the criticism social media users throw at them, some Olympic athletes simply prefer stricter restrictions. “I love to compete in briefs. I love to be active and wear as little clothes as possible because I sweat,” she said. “But we also have the option of wearing whatever uniform we want. We can also wear the men’s uniform if we wish.”
The Nike uniforms are the latest in a series of controversies surrounding women’s Olympic uniforms, from the beach volleyball team’s tiny bikinis to the soccer players’ white shorts. Nike wants to address the fundamental contradiction of creating uniforms for many highly individualized people by not only consulting with the athletes who wear them, but also by offering a variety of options. I am.
“Every woman’s body is different,” Davis-Woodward said. “The same goes for men: Make uniforms for the people, not the scenery.”
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