German Olympic gymnastics team opts for unitards in defiance of ‘sexualization’ of women

Members of the German gymnastics team wore body-length unitards during their qualifier at the Olympics on Sunday in defiance of the “sexualization” of female athletes, The Associated Press reported. 

The team members wore unitards that covered most of their bodies instead of the normal bikini-cut leotards female gymnasts wear while competing. 

The team first wore the same unitards during the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships in April, according to the AP. 

German gymnast Sarah Voss told the AP that the team made the decision to go with such uniforms again before the Olympic meet, stating that the athletes wanted to feel “amazing” while performing. 

“We sat together today and said, OK, we want to have a big competition,” Voss said. “We want to feel amazing, we want to show everyone that we look amazing.” 

Voss also said that gymnastics customs should evolve for female athletes as they age, the AP reported, noting that the German gymnastics teams include several athletes who are older. 

The Tokyo Olympics are the first Summer Games since the conviction of former USA Gymnastics national team doctor Larry Nassar, who sexually abused hundreds of female gymnasts, some of them Olympians, during his tenure.

The Norwegian women’s beach handball team received a fine for opting to wear skin-tight shorts instead of bikini bottoms during European tournaments just days before the Olympics began, the AP noted.