^ Didn't you watch the Czech Republic v. USA during the quarter-final match for Beach Volleyball?
The Czech team were wearing a head-to-toe body suit. Not hot pants. They played amazingly well and looked super fit despite being covered. In fact, they looked even better than the Americans.
So they have a choice to dress whatever way they want.
I didn't watch it, but that's nice to know. Thanks for sharing. Hot-pants were in reference to female runners vs male runners, and I made a rhetorical statement about the disparity. I'm sure "they played amazingly well and looked super fit," I doubt anyone's denying that. (And why wouldn't they, "being covered" is unrelated to performance). While some choice is given within parameters, it's not true that athletes in every sport have "a choice to dress whatever way they want." Those familiar with the stipulations of sports organizations are aware of this. It boils down to increasing viewership and making female participation 'more relevant.'
I can appreciate why some people are on the defensive. On a forum like this, everything is reduced to haram vs halal, conservative vs liberal, regressive vs progressive. My point was more nuanced, if not feminist in nature. The Olympics/sports in general are not immune to gender and marketing politics, and you don't need to be religious or irreligious to entertain this fact. Female soccer players were outraged over the comments made by FIFA. If someone told me to wear hot-pants while playing football so I'd look "more feminine" I'd tell him to go jump in a lake.
Edit : Until this year, female beach volleyball competitors were required to play in bikinis. So much for choice. Interestingly, it makes 'news' when they opt to wear shorts or cover their midriff (usually due to cold weather).
Dunno about male athletes, but there does seem to be a concerted effort to hypersexualize female Olympians. Modifications made to their uniforms aim to make them shorter and tighter wherever possible. Back in 2004, the President of FIFA suggested that women soccer players wear tighter uniforms to promote "a more female aesthetic, to let the women play in more feminine clothes like they do in volleyball." Take male runners for instance, their shorts end 3 inches or less above the knee, while female runners wear hot-pants that end around the groin. It's a marketing strategy, and sex sells. Is it any wonder, then, that men don't take women seriously, and women don't take themselves seriously enough.
I'm amused that 'Beach Volleyball' is even considered a sport. It's like a parody of regular volleyball. I'm sure FIVB will say that bikini bottoms help streamline performance. That's why the players have to 'readjust' them after each serve.
Sad part is - the misty may twins' games have been shown ad nauseum, every game every point - with an interview with the smug costas in the fake casual living room atmosphere.
The US track team - they get no love. They have conributed to 50% of medal count. Have several gold medalists from previous olympics - but they get no publicity. The disparity is ridiculous.
And beack volleyball players are the ones who cant make it to the real volleyball team.
^ Treanor & Jennings are media darlings. I guess it's a ratings game. Glad I'm not the only one who finds Costas obnoxious. ps. I feel awful for the runner who fell in the 1500m final. That was brutal. And to have that happen twice to the same girl, what were the odds.
^ did it not happen to Mary Decker. Happened once with zola budd. I vaguely recall she suffered dual disappointments. Will check. (This was mid-80s - so most of you were not here:))
Or she missed 1980 due to boycott and tripped 1984
Also, running in a crowd takes skill. I dont know this lady - but Mary Decker (US) was during those days by far the best middle distance runner (800, 1500m). During home races, she would always win going away. So she was not used to running in a crowd.
In the Olympics, the runners were bunched up. And she was clueless as to how to negotiate traffic.
Saw the lady fall yesterday as we entered our hotel yesterday and turned on the TV. Got to see only one replay. It did not appear there was any tripping - she was just running to close to the person on her left (maybe to cut down on extra distance around curves).
Felt bad for her though - anguish written all over her face.