2024-04-18 04:47:00
Amid accusations of sexism, Nike faces criticism for its new athletics uniforms for women presented for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, This is what the media reported ABC News. Controversies arose after an image of the designs was released by the Citius magazine, where a model was shown wearing a high-cut bikini line for the competitors. This revelation has sparked thousands of comments online, including from well-known former American athletes, who have expressed their concern and discontent with the design proposed by the sports brand.
One of the most critical voices has been that of former athlete Lauren Fleshman, who commented that “Women’s uniforms must be at the service of performance, mental and physical. If this outfit was truly beneficial for physical performance, men would wear it”. Fleshman was emphatic in pointing out the design as a costume influenced by “patriarchal forces,” suggesting that behind this choice there are motivations that do not correspond merely to sporting performance.
On the other hand, the Olympic pole vault champion, Katie Moon, also spoke out on the matter on her Instagram account, describing the concern caused by the image of the uniform projected on a mannequin, although she stressed that “Athletes have ‘at least 20 different combinations of uniforms to compete in,'” including male options.”
In response to criticism, Nike defended its design, arguing that it is just one of its models within a “range of styles” that it offers athletes to choose from, also ensuring that they will have tailoring options available for both the Olympic and Paralympic games. . John Hokedirector of innovation at Nike, specified in a press release that “the Paris 2024 athletics uniforms were designed to offer athletes a range of silhouettes adapted to various sports disciplines, body types and sizes, prioritizing performance and maximum breathability”.
The United States track and field team echoed this message, emphasizing in its statement to ABC News that the criticized groups “are only two of many options, including 50 unique piecesamong which athletes will be able to choose for the next Olympic Games”. This statement seeks to emphasize the brand’s commitment to respecting athletes’ preferences and comfort, also mentioning that Nike consulted with athletes throughout the design process.
This controversy comes after another recent controversy related to Nike, in which it received disapproval for the revision of the entire uniform. league for Major League Baseball players, criticized for being too transparent. As in the case of athletics uniforms, Nike committed to working with MLB and its players to make the necessary adjustments, prioritizing product quality and performance.
The discussion around these uniforms not only highlights concerns about function and comfort in sportswearbut also invites us to reflect on the design standards and its impact on the perception of women’s sport. The implication of the criticism goes beyond appearance, encompassing issues of equality, performance and professionalism in the sporting field.
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