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 REUTERS/Mike Blake
TOKYO—The German women’s gymnastics team wore full-body suits in qualifications at the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday after saying their fashion choice went against the sexualization of their sport and showed that women could wear what they choose.
The team, composed of Sarah Voss, Pauline Schaefer-Betz, Elisabeth Seitz and Kim Bui, opened their Olympic performance on the asymmetric bars wearing red and white unitards, which are combined leotards and leggings extending to the ankles.
They wore similar outfits during training on Thursday and said they could chose to wear them again in competition.
Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Gymnastics – Artistic – Women’s Beam – Qualification – Ariake Gymnastics Centre, Tokyo, Japan – July 25, 2021. Pauline Schaefer of Germany in action on the balance beam REUTERS/Mike Blake
The Germans wore the full-body suits at the European championships in April in a move that was broadly praised by other female gymnasts.
For women, the standard competition outfit is a leotard, with long, half-length sleeved and sleeveless garments allowed.
Outfits covering legs are authorized in international competitions but to date they have been worn almost exclusively for religious reasons.