German female gymnasts revealed full-body unitards this week at the Tokyo Olympics in a stand against the sexualization of their sport.
The team donned the fuchsia bodysuits with leggings extending to their ankles at a podium training in the capital city on Thursday.
“We wanted to show that every woman, everybody, should decide what to wear,” said gymnast Elisabeth Seitz, 27.
“That doesn’t mean we don’t want to wear the normal leotard anymore,” she added.
The team said they could choose whether to go with the standard leotard when they compete in Sunday’s qualifications.
“It is a decision day by day, based on how we feel and what we want. On competition day, we will decide what to wear,” Seitz said.
Elisabeth Seitz and her teammates are excited about the outfits. InstagramThe German Gymnastics Federation previously said the outfits represented the women protesting against “sexualization in gymnastics,” the BBC reported.
The sport has been rocked in recent years by widespread cases of sexual and physical abuse, including in the United States.
Sarah Voss, a 21-year-old gymnast, said the team’s coaches had supported their outfits.
The German gymnasts can now choose between the unitards or leotards on competition day. dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images“The coaches were also very much into it,” Voss said. “They said they want us to feel the most confident and comfortable in any case.”
With Post wires
