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| Tokyo 2020 Olympics - Gymnastics - Artistic - Women's Beam - Qualification - Ariake Gymnastics Centre, Tokyo, Japan - July 25, 2021. Elisabeth Seitz of Germany in action on the balance beam. (Photo by= REUTERS/Mike Blake) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] Germany's gymnasts wore full-body suits in women's qualification at the Olympics as they continued their stand against the sexualization of their sport. Some of them wore similar outfits at the European Championships earlier this year, with Sarah Voss saying she and her teammates wanted to make youngsters feel safe in the sport. Voss joined Pauline Schaefer-Betz, Elisabeth Seitz, and Kim Bui in donning the red and white outfits that extended to the ankles on Sunday, Reuters reported.
The bodysuits defy convention, with most gymnasts opting for a leotard and those who cover their legs in international competition doing so for religious reasons. The German team had worn similar outfits during training last week, with three-time Olympian Seitz saying at the time that it was "about what feels comfortable". "We wanted to show that every woman, everybody, should decide what to wear," she said.
The Germans' decision to wear unitards earned them praise from fellow competitors in Tokyo. For women, the standard competition outfit is a leotard, with long, half-length sleeved and sleeveless garments allowed. In recent years the sport has been rocked by widespread cases of sexual and physical abuse, prompting the introduction of new safety protocols meant to protect athletes.
