In the moments before firing off the Instagram comment heard around the world, Tara Davis-Woodhall could hardly believe her eyes.
The American long jumper and silver medalist had just seen a photo of one of Nike’s Team USA uniforms for this summer’s Games, a high-cut leotard that barely covered the bikini line and which was unveiled last week at a launch event in Paris. Current publication Citius Mag had posted an image of the slinky uniform on a female mannequin next to a male one-piece outfit with longer legs.
When the side-by-side comparison made waves online about sexism in professional sports, Davis-Woodhall had no choice but to join the fray.
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“Wait, my hoo haa is coming true,” she noted, joining a chorus of athletes harping on the company’s apparent decision to prioritize leanness over functionality. In response, Nike said that female runners at the Games will not be limited to the high-cut leotard and that the new line offers nearly 50 styles to choose from, including shorts.
Davis-Woodhall spoke at the Team USA media summit in downtown Manhattan on Tuesday and was one of several U.S. Olympians who attributed the reaction to the photo.
“It was the photo that didn’t do it justice,” the Texas resident said. “I’ve seen one [of the uniforms] Today. They are beautiful. They are not as shown in the photo. The cut looks a little different on that mannequin. They should have just taken another look with someone to choose that photo to post.
Gabby Thomas, the Atlanta-born sprinter who took 200m bronze and 4x100m silver in Tokyo, was “initially shocked like everyone else” after seeing the uniform on the mannequin that quickly went viral.
But Thomas said she felt more comfortable after seeing American pole vaulter Katie Moon’s impassioned defense on social media, which said criticism ultimately attacks the athletes who decide to wear it. “The point is that we DO have a choice about what we wear, and whether we feel best in a potato sack or a swimsuit during games, we need to support autonomy,” the Nike-sponsored Moon wrote.
“I love participating in the assignment,” Thomas said Tuesday. “I think I love wearing as little clothing as possible just because you’re sweaty, very active and moving, so I love that we have the ability to wear that, but we also have the ability to wear any uniform we want. want to. We could wear the men’s uniform if we really wanted to. So I’m happy with what they put there. The initial shock was justified, but I don’t think anyone should worry.”
Nike issued a statement quoting CEO John Hoke as saying the company “worked directly with athletes at every stage of the design process,” a claim Thomas backed up.
“I remember they had a little area where athletes could try things out and try things out and give their feedback,” Thomas said. “Athletes were certainly consulted about the creation of the uniform. That’s why I think everyone was a little shocked when they saw the photo, because athletes wouldn’t have drawn what that looked like, but that’s not what it actually looks like in real life.”
Fiona O’Keeffe, who booked her ticket to Paris in February when she broke the U.S. Olympic women’s marathon trials record in her debut distance, said she’s not worried about the uniforms even though she hasn’t got them in real life yet seen.
“I believe the team processing for the marathon also takes place during the US trials because we are considered part of athletics,” she said on Tuesday. “I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m sure there are plenty of options where something works that works.”
Davis-Woodhall agreed: “All women’s bodies are different,” she said. “I would say the same for men. Let’s make the uniforms for the people [who are wearing them]instead of for the views.”
