Nike’s new 2024 Paris Olympic track and field uniforms were said to be designed with athletes in mind, but the internet isn’t buying it.
It all started when Citius Magazine, a running publication, posted a first look at the Nike kits that the U.S. track and field team will wear this summer.
Thousands of people and some athletes flooded the comment section of the post, criticizing the design of the women’s uniform pictured, which is a blue and red striped leotard that says “USA.” Those lambasting the look say it’s just far too skimpy.
Athletes like Olympic pole vaulter Katie Moon and former U.S. track and field athlete Lauren Fleshman have weighed in on the matter since the post went viral.
“Take the old USA kit, and make it ✨less✨” Philly Bowden, a professional runner wrote in the comments.
Here’s what to know about the recent controversy, including what Nike has to say.
What does Nike have to say about all this?
Nike has deferred the inquiry about the recent wave of online criticism, pointing to an article written about the uniforms as their official stance on the issue.
The company writes that the uniforms are “the most athlete-informed, data-driven and visually unified the company has ever produced.” Each kit was inspired by the “distinct identities and diverse communities each country and sport represent.”
Nike’s goal from the start was to give each athlete a voice, creating uniforms that “met athletes’ desires for choice,…
