European Championships in Athletics: Finland’s female stars say directly why they play sports in skimpy outfits

Naisurheilijoita should no longer be portrayed in a sexualizing tone, the European Athletics Association EA and the European Broadcasting Union EBU outlined in June.

The line-up received a lot of media attention, and soon various comment fields and discussion boards were filled with the same question:

Why then do women do athletics in skimpier and more revealing outfits than men?

A large number of male athletes wear semi-trimmed and sleeveless shirts, while the most common outfit for women is a short top and a bikini bottom. There are no such limited options for men.

Sports Federation top sports director Tuomo Salonen says that the outfitter of the Finnish national team offers numerous outfit options for both men and women.

For men’s tops, the options are a sleeveless shirt, a t-shirt and a streamlined jumpsuit. There are four types of bottoms: short shorts, slightly longer and loose shorts, half leotards and long leotards.

There are more top options for women. They can choose between a short top, a long top, a t-shirt and a uniform swimsuit model. Bottoms include bikini bottoms, slightly longer leotards and loose shorts in two different lengths.

The athletes informed Suli before the European Championships, which outfits they wanted. According to Salonen, each of them generally chose a couple of different outfits.

“Outfits are ordered for each competition according to what is needed for the different conditions.”

According to the top sports director, the athletes have been “very satisfied” with the outfits.

“The current models have been considered functional.”

But why do women play sports in skimpier outfits?

Triple Jumper Senni Salminen according to the bikini bottom is simply the most comfortable and best for sports.

“It doesn’t squeeze anything. My legs are free. When I have a race about to start, I do net jumps or mark runs wearing the Trikoot. I know that when I take off my pants, it’s a completely different situation,” Salminen opens.

Quick beeper Saara Keskitalo is on the same lines.

“The bottom part of the brief has balance when running. From every direction, you feel that the waist doesn’t come up too much. The legs don’t go weird and the bottom part fits well.”

Keskitalo rejects shorts leotards for practical reasons.

“I don’t like it if the legs squeeze. Everyone has a different body shape. When something squeezes something and you have to make compromises. The less fabric there is, the fewer problems there are.”

Scoundrel thrower Henri Liipola ordered both t-shirt and sleeveless. He threw in Monday’s qualifier with a t-shirt.

“We go according to the weather and the mood,” he comments on his home.

Helsinki The messages the news about Ebu’s shooting direction was commented on on Instagram lively in July.

“What if those bikinis were changed to shorts like men’s? the comments asked.”

“What if you just gave them the right clothes to wear?”

“Why don’t women just wear pants like men?” one suggested.

A shot putter Emilia Fabric points out that people make inappropriate comments even when playing sports in long pants and a loose shirt.

“I like half-length leotards and a long top.”

A high jumper Ella Junnila has made the same observation as Kangas. He himself sports in shorts because it suits his proportions best. He can’t sit in the “pikka model”.

Was wearing a bikini bottom or shorts, a small top or a t-shirt, feedback will come.

“It doesn’t matter what you wear, it’s always wrong in someone’s opinion. There is no clothing that gets everyone’s approval. Commenting is pointless in my opinion,” says Junnila.

He also emphasizes that athletes wear clothes that make them feel as good as possible. At the European Championships in Birmingham, the temperature rises to over 30 degrees. Then a skimpier outfit can be more comfortable.

“Athletes prioritize performance and nothing else,” says Junnila.

As Kankaa and Junnila’s comments show, the problem is not in what the athletes are wearing, but in the attitudes and behavior of the spectators.

“Small outfits are not the point”, confirms Salminen.

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