- A track-and-field uniform designed by Nike for this year's Olympics is being slammed as sexist.
- Some athletes condemned the female bodysuit's high cut on the hip.
- Nike said it's just one of many options — and competitors will have access to tailoring.
Nike's new uniform for female track and field athletes at this year's Olympics may be a bit too skimpy for athletes, some of whom called the high-cut outfits sexist.
But the sportswear brand said it's actually offering an array of choices for athletes — with tailoring options on hand at this year's games.
Nike showcased the controversial designs at a Paris event last Thursday, The New York Times reports, with some observers remarking that the woman's bodysuit was cut particularly high around the groin and hips.
It reignited a familiar debate on social media surrounding uniforms for female athletes.
"Professional athletes should be able to compete without dedicating brain space to constant pube vigilance or the mental gymnastics of having every vulnerable piece of your body on display," retired runner Lauren Fleshman commented on Instagram.
"Wait my hoo ha is gonna be out," quipped long jumper Tara Davis-Woodhall.
Pole vaulter Katie Moon tried on the outfit and said the mannequin made it appear skimpier than it was — though she acknowledged on X that the concerns when seeing the outfit on the mannequin were valid.
In response, Nike pointed Business Insider to an article clarifying that beyond the two looks showcased in Paris, there are "nearly 50 unique pieces across men's and women's track & field and a dozen competition styles fine-tuned for specific events."
Other choices for women include compression shorts, a crop top or tank top, and a bodysuit with shorts, according to the Times.
The company said the uniforms it created for this year's games are the "most athlete-informed, data-driven and visually unified the company has ever produced" — with hurdler Anna Cockrell saying that her fit "allowed me to move freely and without distraction."
In addition to an array of choices, the company told BI it will have tailoring options for Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
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