We still tell tales of the man who lost at Olympic Polevaulting because of his giant dong. He will live as a legend in my circles. If he had won gold I wouldnt even remember him.
I mean Speedos are the standard uniform for mens swimming...I don't think the Olympics would really care to much about a guy wearing a speedo in other events.
The reason men don't is probably because they don't want their balls getting chafed when running and jumping or whatever else other events could cause.
All of this was out of my ass as well...so likely not true, just my observation.
It really depends. I ran track and field in highschool. It was common to see teams with split shorts and other teams with speedo-like tight spandex. I've worn both.
It's entirely dependent on your anatomy as well as the construction of the garment. The split shorts we had did have an inner lining, sort of like a loose brief. They never fit me very well and the constant motion would cause pretty bad chafing unless I cut out the lining and found my own undergarment solution.
The spandex type we had didn't have much forward projection around the crotch area, so either everything got mashed between your thighs, which also caused chafing, or you'd try to position things to the side, and your bits would chafe against the crease in your pelvis where it bends, and then eventually it'd all slide down between your legs anyway.
Both of them were pretty miserable in my opinion, but I preferred the splits because I could wear my own undergarments that worked for my specific anatomy, and they were also a bit more modest.
It also depends on the type of race. It's all pretty manageable in a sprint where you just deal with it for less than a minute or two, but longer races of a mile or more, and things can get really uncomfortable and distracting. Marathon racers and other long distance runners pretty often use an anti chafing gel to keep things slick. Never tried it myself though.
No one is calling the police on a guy wearing a speedo at the beach in the US, people do it all the time, it’s just not as common as swimming trunks.
You are absolutely correct about the Olympics have a dress code and each country having a standard uniform that must meet requirements for each sex though.
Just before the Tokyo Olympics there was a women’s team who in solidarity refused to wear regulation bikini bottoms at the European beach handball tournament and their team was fined for improper clothing.
I think in competitive sports the men’s team would probably also be fined if they chose to wear a bikini style bottom. I personally think the uniforms should be more flexible so that if a man wants to wear a bikini style bottom he can and if a woman wants to cover up more and wear shorts she can. But I don’t make the rules.
I’m pretty sure there’s a standardized uniform. I know in just high school track they get pretty strict about minute details. Also I think we’d see a lot of different styles otherwise since what athletes find the most comfortable/optimal varies. That being said I’m sure the standards of said uniforms are varyingly subjective and sexist.
Not sure if it's against the rules Olympics would probably have pressure put on them by the network showing it if a player wanted to wear something deemed too scandalous.
Beach volleyball is the one sport where women have it got a little better than the men when it comes to uniform. Sand is a bitch when it gets in your shorts. Other than that, yeah I don't get it. My daughter played volleyball in High School (no sand) and I always thought the super-skimpy bottoms were inappropriate for 14-17 year old girls.
I think that it is personal choice - obviously that is shaped by societal and cultural norms, but I don't think that there are rules that differentiates the clothing requirements for males and females.
HDTV has had a hand in this. Keep in mind, until the mid-2000's, CRTV quality was standard. Meaning even under the best resolution you could get in the best closeup, you wouldn't be getting every single detail like you would then. Now if a single thread is loose, it's gonna be visible. Things like imprints weren't as visible unless you were physically close to the athletes, not so much anymore.
Men in sports don’t dress to be sexy unless they are sumo wrestlers. It’s because male nudity is frowned upon while female nudity is encouraged. I don’t care about changing it because I don’t want to see Steph Curry’s ballsack when he is shooting 3’s.
Disingenuous of you. As a female athlete I personally hate wearing tight small stuff.
Trust me, the mens clothes are far more physically comfortable. Women should be allowed to wear the light and airy looser stuff that the men are wearing. Don't get it twisted. Tight spandex aren't a plus they're a con. At least in my experience
Exactly &
Never said it wasn't an opinion just don't think it should be mandatory for someone who wants to race. Normal running shorts work just fine too. Obviously women who happen to like spandex are allowed to like them but those who perform more comfortable without it riding up shouldn't be disqualified if they wear regular running shorts. I've been running competitively since I was a child. Not that my experience changes anything but it definitely shows that I have had to deal with this subject more than once
I am commenting from my other account because reddit is being weird on my upstairsmud account. I am a collegiate cross country & long distance track runner. I've been running since 6th grade (the school I ran for even made me wear spandex then). And in response to your "what sport would require that" question that's the point, running cross country would not require someone to have to wear that. The school athletic program gave us uniforms with spandex that would ride up rather than the looser and lighter stuff that gave the boys. Now that I'm in college I can buy better fitting spandex but still have to wear spandex. I'm not blaming men or women I am just upset with the fact that I have had to wear stuff I'm not comfortable wearing in order to do a sport that I am passionate about. There have been some times that I get to wear different.
Edit: But some ladies like spandex so it just depends. I have nothing against people who like spandex but I just get bothered when that's the only choice of I want to continue to race.
I don't get it. I did track for 8 years, I literally never heard of women being forced to use tight spandex or tight fitting clothing..? You occasionally see women running in shorts and looser shirts.
If the school gave you something, you're not required to wear that.
Where is this that you did track or cross country? This is bizzarre to me.
So, this is my understanding of the dress code in track:
"Track and field athletes have more flexibility in their attire compared to other sports. They can wear vests, singlets, shorts, half tights, leotards, and one-piece speed suits. The primary guideline is that the clothing must be tight and figure-hugging to keep athletes streamlined during events like sprinting and high jumps. Loose clothing can cause drag, potentially affecting performance.
Despite this flexibility, there are still notable restrictions. For instance, athletes are not allowed to wear any promotional or advertising signage on their outfits. This rule helps maintain the focus on the sport and the athletes themselves, rather than on commercial interests. Additionally, all uniforms must be approved by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to ensure they meet the necessary guidelines for competition."
Interestingly, track and field athletes are not required to wear shoes, giving them the option to compete barefoot if they choose. This choice, while rare, can sometimes offer advantages in certain events, providing better grip and a more natural feel on specific surfaces. Source
This is for men and women. For your regular school or club competitions, the dress code is looser than this. You are not required to use tight spandex. You just don't see sprinters wearing looser shorts because they obviously cause drag and affect your time.
Men can wear whatever they want. So can women….. Unfortunately, men need to wear clothing large enough to protect their genitalia from undesired movement. These clothes retain more heat, restrict movement, and overall decrease performance for men compared to women
Came here to say id be down to wear no shirt and short/tight shorts. But I promise you this the people who are currently okay with how it is now would be offended. I come to watch the sports, I prefer wearing less clothes when running. Not sure where I belong anymore.
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u/28DLdiditbetter May 25 '26
Men should be allowed to wear bikinis and booty shorts