Nike's outfits for the US women's Olympic team are criticized as being “born of patriarchal forces.”

From Citius Mag via X

Nike's design for the U.S. women's team outfit (right) is shown in an image posted on X by @CitiusMag.

CNN
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Nike's new outfit design for the U.S. women's Olympic team has been heavily criticized on social media by athletes and fans alike. A former US athlete described it as “a costume born of patriarchal forces.”

Images of the men's and women's outfits dressed on mannequins were released last week as part of a kit launch ahead of Paris 2024.

The image of the women's jersey on display with a high-cut bikini area sparked a wave of criticism.

“Professional athletes should be able to compete without devoting their brain space to constant pubic vigilance or the mental gymnastics of displaying every vulnerable part of their body,” former U.S. track and field athlete Lauren Fleshman wrote in an Instagram post. Contribution.

“Women’s jerseys should promote mental and physical performance. If this outfit was truly conducive to physical performance, men would wear it.

“This is not elite athletic equipment for athletics. This is a costume born out of patriarchal forces that are no longer welcome or needed to keep women’s sports in the spotlight.”

Other athletes have also raised concerns, including U.S. long jumper Tara Davis-Woodhall, who posted a comment on Instagram that said, “Wait a minute haha, I'm out.”

Nike told CNN in a statement that the jersey's design will be one of several styles to choose from, alongside the tailoring options available for the upcoming Olympics.

In a press release last week, Nike said all of its designs were made in collaboration with the needs of athletes.

“Nike has worked directly with athletes at every stage of the design process, designing garments to fit a range of body types and style preferences, and incorporating real-time feedback throughout the product development cycle,” John Hoke, Nike Chief Innovation Officer, said it in the press release.

A spokesperson for USA Track and Field (USATF) also told CNN that the outfits at launch were just two of many options, “including 50 unique pieces.”

“Athletes’ options and decisions 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 that all athletes felt comfortable and the uniforms were well suited for their respective events.”

Olympic pole vault champion Katie Moon, herself a Nike athlete, said the image of the outfit on the mannequin was “concerning” and “justifies the reaction it has received,” but confirmed that other options were available to athletes, if you decide to do so.

“If you honestly think that on the most important days of our careers we choose what we wear to appease the men who care about what we feel most comfortable and confident in and to look our best, then that's pretty much it “insulting,” she wrote in a post on Instagram.

However, in a post on

Her post was captioned: “New Olympic theme released in honor of unveiling of Team USA's new track and field uniforms!”

The criticism comes amid a long-standing call for change that focuses on excessive policing of women's clothing or outfits that sexualize women's sports.

At Tokyo 2020, for example, the German women's gymnastics team refused to wear bikini-cut full-body suits and instead wore full-body versions, which the German Gymnastics Federation described as a statement against “sexualization.”