The pandemic process, which took about two years, tired us all spiritually. And after this difficult process, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, which started last week, in a word, made the whole world breathe again. These few days, when a positive and supportive nationalism, prudent competition, team play and the success achieved as a result of long efforts were discussed, have already been a new source of inspiration for all of us.
The games, which will last until August 9, are the scene of ambitious matches and records that have been spoken for days. Even in our workplaces during the day, we are locked in front of the screens from time to time and we try to follow the moments of our athletes that fill our chest with pride. Just like us, millions of people around the world are watching these games that fill them with hope again, seeking to get rid of the negative effects of the pandemic on their minds... On the other hand, with the start of the Olympics, we all have to attend not only these special games, but also sports competitions all over the world. increased interest. Competitions, championships and matches related to different sports branches are on the agenda of each of us... We are probably trying to improve our psychology with sports... However, in our days full of sports that started with the Olympics and spread over the last few weeks, there is another topic that is talked about as much as athletes and competitions. And that is the clothes of the athletes... "Why is there clothing? Every sport has clothing codes determined by international inspection institutions for years after all... What kind of discussion or topic can there be about these?" I seem to hear you say... You are right when you say that... But the clothes in many sports branches unfortunately cause women to come to the fore. Women athletes who only want to be talked about with their sports and achievements have great reactions to the dress code other than their own preferences. Some are scolded by the authorities in their country for wearing a more 'open' outfit because they can't feel comfortable enough while doing sports, while others are punished for not wearing clothes because they find it too sexy and provocative... In other words, women are at the center of the clothing issue. Unfortunately, even in major sports organizations, women still cannot carry the clothes they want, feel comfortable and see fit to wear. Let's take a look at the sexist clothing issue that has been controversial in the last week...
Britain
We have the right to wear what we are comfortable in.
As we said, the important thing is for the athlete to be able to do his sport in the clothes that he feels comfortable and comfortable while doing his job. Athletes should be allowed to wear all kinds of clothes that do not hinder the movements and do not prevent the referees from perceiving the movements. Especially while male athletes doing the same sport wear much more comfortable clothes, women react to this double standard in terms of clothing, to wearing clothes that make them feel uncomfortable. This time, our controversial dress topic was hosted by the British Championship in Bedford. Double world champion British para-athlete Olivia Breen said she was very angry and had nothing to say after being told to wear "more appropriate" shorts in a match. Explaining that an official at the 24-year-old championship told him that the athlete's clothes were "too short and revealing", he said, "This comment was very wrong. It made me very angry. I am very angry. No one can comment from the outside on what we athletes will or will not wear." Breen, a para-athlete who says she should be free to wear whatever outfit she is comfortable with while doing sports, and currently competing in the Olympics, in an interview with the British Guardian newspaper, said, "I will wear the same type of shorts at the Olympics. I will wear whatever I am comfortable with while doing sports. It is a pity that we are under such stress and that there are so many comments about our clothes. When I told about my experience, many athletes reached out to me. Some told me that they were heavily criticized for their clothes because they wore it too closed, some because they wore it too open. No one should interfere with the clothes they feel comfortable in," he said.
Germany
We want to wear a one-piece outfit, not a swimsuit.
Many federations are reacting to the sexist approach against the nature of sports. One of these is gymnastics federations. The clothes worn in this sport, which mostly includes young girls who are still in the development period and who are still in the stage of getting to know their own bodies, have been a subject of discussion in different countries for a long time. With the prevalence of abuse cases against children, countries are of the opinion that young girls with overly assertive swimsuits do not have to do sports. The country that took the first step in this regard is Germany. The German national gymnastics team participated in the European championship for the first time last April with their leotards, that is, single money leotards. Regarding the clothes that remained in the world press for days, the German Gymnastics Federation said, "Our athletes do not have to compete with clothes that make them uncomfortable and make them look like sexual objects. We fully support their choice of clothes that will not spoil the aesthetic image while doing their sports, will not interfere with the understanding of their movements, and that they will also be comfortable." made. German national gymnasts compete in similar one-piece outfits in these Olympics as well. These new clothes, which are not much different from the clothes worn by male athletes, have made female athletes more satisfied... German gymnast Elisabeth Seitz recently told CNN television, "We are sending a very important message to the whole world with this outfit. Every woman, everyone wants it. He is free to wear whatever he feels comfortable in, and to do sports in the clothes he feels comfortable in. Underlining that the team still thinks about clothes, the famous athlete says, "We should have the freedom to wear whatever we want according to our feelings, mood and comfort."
Norway
We play in shorts, not bikinis!
The controversial sporting event is the European Beach Handball Championship... Of course, this debate has already spread to the Olympics... Because the clothes that women's beach handball and volleyball teams are asked to wear during the matches are quite daring. Of course, we can all wear the bikini in any open space we want while sunbathing on the beach. However, on the one hand, while doing such challenging sports, while men's teams can easily go to the matches in shorts and a T-shirt, women are of the opinion that these clothes should be changed a little more. The women who hold this opinion and are punished for applying their ideas are also Norwegians... These athletes, each of whom has a model physique, are tired of being the subject of the matches only because of their bikini-like outfits. Norwegian women think that they can do this sport well with their sports bras and short leggings. However, unfortunately, they were punished by the European Handball Federation in the championship because they wore such outfits to the matches. The team was sentenced to pay a fine of 1,500 euros for inappropriate dress. In response to this sexist approach, the Norwegian Handball Federation supported female athletes by tweeting, "We will continue to fight together so that our athletes can go to the matches in their comfortable clothes," after the penalty was finalized. Then, the world-famous singer Pink Tweeter shared, "It is impossible not to react to such a sexist approach. These female athletes do not have to wear bikini bottoms while doing sports. There is no logic to such a uniform. I would like to pay the penalty to the team," he shared. Handball and volleyball players around the world openly supported the team.
Headscarf and hijab approved
We say that men are more comfortable in the clothes they wear while doing sports. There is no one who talks or criticizes about their clothing choices. However, women's sportswear is a constant topic of discussion... When the Egyptian volleyball team said in 2012 that they wanted to participate in the matches with their hijabs, various voices were raised all over the world on this issue. In the same year, after great debate, the International Volleyball Federation announced that it would not pressure women to wear bikinis and that women could wear long sleeved and leg sportswear and wear hijabs to the match. Egyptian women's volleyball team players started to play in their clothes approved by the federation. Bosnia and Herzegovina Indira Kaljo, who started wearing a headscarf in 2013 due to her personal preferences, launched a successful campaign against the rules of FIBA, the international basketball authority, against the headscarf. Kaljo, who grew up in the USA and whose campaign was successful, said, "You have to be able to wear anything as long as it does not prevent you from doing your sports and you feel comfortable in it." Muslim female athletes were deprived of major leagues because of the phrase 'head-worn equipment, clothing or jewelry' in one of the international basketball authority FIBA rules. However, as a result of this campaign and the pressure from the local leagues, FIBA decided to discuss the issue in order to eliminate discrimination and changed the provision on this issue.
