The German gymnasts no longer take part in the body inspection. At the Olympics, they slip back into full-body outfits. With this they want to set an example for the freedom of choice of clothing and against the sexualization of their bodies.
Super tight, ultra tight and a lot of bare skin: This is still the standard when it comes to gymnasts’ clothing. The German athletes no longer take part. At the European Championships in April, they swapped the traditional suits for long-legged one-pieces, causing a sensation around the world. In Olympia they are now continuing their resistance to the old patterns. They want to set an example against the sexualization of their bodies.
“We want to show that gymnastics is beautiful and that it is not about what you wear. The most important thing is that the gymnast feels comfortable,” says artistic gymnast Elisabeth Seitz, describing the “It’s my choice” initiative to “Eurosport”. Because that’s what it’s all about. The athletes no longer want to be forced into bathing suit-like outfits and show more of themselves than necessary. With the old suits, only a few centimeters of fabric covered the pubic area. An unfortunate movement, an unfavorable camera angle and the audience get deep insights. “It is also a sign, precisely because we do a lot of splits and yet are relatively wide-legged, that everyone presents himself as he feels comfortable,” said Seitz to “RTL”.
“You have to react as a trainer”
The debate about sexualization and sexism in sport has been simmering for a long time. Fueled by the abuse scandal involving US team doctor Larry Nassar, more and more athletes have recently expressed their discomfort with the scarce clothing. National coach Ulla Koch was also confronted with it. After an athlete revealed that she felt “almost naked” in the short suit, she saw a need for action. She said to “Eurosport”: “As a trainer you have to react and say: What can you do?” Three months later, the first prototype of a new suit was ready.
Such so-called unitards have been allowed since 2009. So far, however, they have mostly been worn by Muslim women athletes for religious reasons; the long-legged one-piece did not catch on. Seitz’s commitment is not dogmatic either. For them, freedom of choice is paramount. Each athlete should be able to choose how much skin she shows. “I feel very comfortable in the long suits, but it depends on the day. Sometimes I like more fabric, sometimes I feel like less,” quoted “Eurosport”.
At the Olympic Games in Tokyo, the German gymnasts are now using the very large stage for their concerns. Artistic gymnast Pauline Schäfer shared a picture of the team on Instagram. The podium training went well and the team was able to call up its performance. By the way, she also presented the troops’ new Olympic clothing – pink, skin-tight and ankle-length. She asked: “How do you like our new outfit?”
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I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
