France giving too much, and too little

PARIS From "hoo-ha" to hijab, the Olympics have been thrust into sartorial turmoil.

- ROSIE DIMANNO

Egyptian beach volleyballer Doaa Elghobashy wears her hijab on the court Sunday in Paris. French athletes aren't permitted to wear the hijab in competition, on the podium, nor in any official setting during the Games.

Which is way over-the-top as a way to describe the fallout from unis and non-unis but de trop rather suits the subject matter.

Let's start with the high-higherhighest hip-cut-uniforms Nike has provided for Team USA's track and field athletes, distaff side. Whilst the men get moisture-wicking and breathable Spandex coverage to the knee, women are slash-bared to the pelvic bones, scarcely covering the mons pubis mound of Venus.

"Wait, my hoo-ha is gonna be out," complained long jump hopeful Tara Davis Woodhall on X.

Nike got slammed for the sexist kits on social media. "If the labia are hanging out on a still mannequin, what do we expect to happen to a moving person?" wondered one commentator.

Lauren Fleshman, a retired U.S. national champion distance runner, was unimpressed. "Women's bits should be in service to performance, mentally and physically. If this outfit was truly beneficial to physical performance, men would wear it." Bull's-eye.

Further: "Professional athletes should be able to compete without dedicating brain space to constant pube vigilance or the mental gymnastics of having every vulnerable piece of your body on display." She's not wrong, if a wee hyperbolic herself. Flashing as much female flesh as possible has long been a constant of Olympics track and field, even as swimsuits have become more aerodynamically lengthened for women and men some top swimmers in Paris such as Australian aqua-queen Emma McKeon adopting the latest cutting edge "weightless" swimsuits. "It's my own little Speedo rocket suit," said American ace and gold-anointed again Caeleb Dressel.