WAG German gymnasts' outfits take on sexualisation in sport

[Carabistouille]

Here are the deductions you are allowed to take according to the FIG COP :

On beam, all of those worth .1 :

- Insufficient artistry of performance throughout the exercise including :

• confidence
• personal style

− Rhythm & Tempo

• Insufficient variation in rhythm & tempo in movements (no DV)
• Performance of the entire exercise as a series of disconnected elements & movements (lack of fluency)

- Insufficient use of entire apparatus:

• Insufficient use of entire length of beam
• Lack of side movements (NO DV)
• Missing combination of movements/ elements close to the beam with a part of the torso (including thigh, knee or head) touching the beam (element not necessary)

─ Insufficient Complexity or creativity in the movements (A complex and creative movement is one that requires training time, coordination and previous preparation)

− One-sided use of elements: More than one ½ turn on 2 feet with straight legs throughout exercise

- Excessive preparation

• Adjustment (unnecessary steps & movements)
• Excessive arm swing before dance elements
• Pause (apply at 2 sec.)

Poor Body posture/Amplitude throughout (maximum elongation of the body movements) –

• Head, trunk, shoulder and arm positions
• Feet not pointed/ relaxed/ turned in
• Lack of work in relevé
• Insufficient amplitude of leg swings/kicks

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

Here are the deductions you are allowed to take according to the FIG COP :

On beam, all of those worth .1 :

- Insufficient artistry of performance throughout the exercise including :

• confidence
• personal style

And this is the part I think should be removed. Confidence and personal style are not objective criteria.

 

[Carabistouille]

I actually disagree about confidence, especially on beam. We use FIG and modified FIG at lower levels and some kids really do look like they are about to fall at any moment of the routine, including in between skills, while others look, well, confident.

Personal style is just stupid though, I never take it.

 

[Carabistouille]

On floor, worth .1 unless otherwise noted :

- Insufficient artistry of performance throughout the entire exercise

• Lack of Expressiveness
• Inappropriate gesture or facial expression (mimic) not corresponding to the music or to the movements
• Failure to engage the audience

– Inability to reflect musical theme, to play a role or a character throughout the performance

– Performance of the entire exercise as a series of disconnected elements & movements

- Composition – Incorrect selection of movements for particular music (Example : “Tango” music, but “Polka” movements) : .1 or .3

– Insufficient Complexity or creativity of movements (A complex and creative movement is one that requires training time, coordination and previous preparation)

– Missing movement touching floor (including min. trunk, or thigh, or knee or head)

- Music and Musicality : Editing of music (e.g. no opening, ending, or accents) : No structure to the music

– Musicality

• Lack of synchronization between movement and musical beat during a part of the exercise : .3
• Lack of synchronization between movement and musical beat at the end of exercise
• Background music (the exercise is connected to the music only at the beginning and end of the exercise) : .5

– Excessive preparation:

• Pause (apply at 2 sec.) (each time)
• Adjustment (unnecessary steps) (each time)
• Excessive arm swing before dance elements (each time)

– Poor Body posture/ Amplitude (maximum elongation of the body movements) throughout

• Head, trunk, shoulder and arm positions
• Feet not pointed/relaxed/ turned in/flat
• Insufficient amplitude of leg swings/kicks

– Distribution of elements

• Exercise starts immediately with an acro line/ acro element
• Subsequent acro line performed after previous line along the same diagonal without choreography in between (long acro line allowed)
• More than 1 Subsequent acro line
• Exercise ends with acro element (no choreography after last acro)
• Lack of variety in choreography into corners

Edit : I think floor is probably a little more subjective than beam and I could do without some criterias (the disconnected elements thing ? failure to engage the audience maybe ?).

 

[Gigi]

I really like the idea. Especially for adolescents when they are already so self conscious about their bodies. And there's the inconvenient thing called menstruation that they are still getting used to. Permission does not mean acceptance, however, so I still see repercussion at competitions.

Ballet dancers are all about artistry and they wear tights. I don't think bare legs would be as pretty.

 

[Learning Parent GB]

I think coverage is a great option.
I didn't think the black legs on the suits worked well with the lighting. I think they should sort the lighting.
I was just as disappointed in the flesh panels down to the navel on a bodysuit as I am on a leotard, but if it is personal choice then gymnasts can have a different opinion to me.

Speaking to gymnasts we imagine it harder to get a good fit on a bodysuit so it would be interesting if there are more available to try on without having to spend a fortune to find it doesn't fit.

 

[Aussie_coach]

They are generally much more expensive than leotards, obviously with so much more material in them.

 

[PeanutsMom]

Here are the deductions you are allowed to take according to the FIG COP :

On beam, all of those worth .1 :

- Insufficient artistry of performance throughout the exercise including :

• confidence
• personal style

− Rhythm & Tempo

• Insufficient variation in rhythm & tempo in movements (no DV)
• Performance of the entire exercise as a series of disconnected elements & movements (lack of fluency)

- Insufficient use of entire apparatus:

• Insufficient use of entire length of beam
• Lack of side movements (NO DV)
• Missing combination of movements/ elements close to the beam with a part of the torso (including thigh, knee or head) touching the beam (element not necessary)

─ Insufficient Complexity or creativity in the movements (A complex and creative movement is one that requires training time, coordination and previous preparation)

− One-sided use of elements: More than one ½ turn on 2 feet with straight legs throughout exercise

- Excessive preparation

• Adjustment (unnecessary steps & movements)
• Excessive arm swing before dance elements
• Pause (apply at 2 sec.)

Poor Body posture/Amplitude throughout (maximum elongation of the body movements) –

• Head, trunk, shoulder and arm positions
• Feet not pointed/ relaxed/ turned in
• Lack of work in relevé
• Insufficient amplitude of leg swings/kicks

Lord almighty. I wonder how much of a confidence my DD received on beam over the years!

 

[JBS]

I love this.

German gymnasts' outfits take on sexualisation in sport

Women defy convention by ditching the leotard for a full-body suit at the European championship.

bbc.in

Wow... I think this is cool! I think these outfits look great!

 

[Gymsanity]

Omg......
So abuse comes from the clothes they wear/don't wear?? Sure, makes sense to me. At the next meeting I'll propose that all athletes be required to wear burkas. That should solve all problems as these problems don't happen in Islamic countries. Lets make sure they also wear them for diving, swimming, beach volleyball, etc. We can stop abuse in it's tracks! Great idea!

 

[JessSyd]

I don’t think anyone has said that clothes lead to sexual abuse. I think that being needlessly required to wear extremely revealing clothing is, of itself, a form of coercive control when people arent comfortable with it. Many people are just fine in leotards, but also lots of girls arent.

So if gymnasts come out and say ‘we feel safer, less sexualised and less vulnerable in these leotards and we want other girls to know they’re an option’ who are we to be sarcastic and disparaging about the comment? They know how they feel, why not........believe them?

 

[Flippin'A]

It's all about giving athletes greater autonomy and choice. The more the athletes are empowered to speak up and voice their opinions, whether it's about attire, training hours, skill choice, or coach preference, the greater the chances are that they'll speak up if they're being mistreated. The culture of "shut up and do as you're told" might create obedient gymnasts but it does not create human beings who are able to stick up for themselves. So no, no one's saying that clothing causes abuse. If my DD's gym turned around tomorrow and said they're requiring everyone to wear unitards in order to prevent abuse, I'd have a big issue with that because it would be an obvious case of blaming what the kids were wearing rather than the choices adults make. The point, as I read it, is that gymnastics doesn't have to be done in a skimpy leotard, so each athlete should be able to choose for herself what type of gymnastics attire makes her most comfortable and feel empowered to voice that opinion without fear of backlash.

 

[Deleted member 26744]

I think a gymnast should be allowed to wear pants, shorts, leggings or whatever they want (so long as it's appropriate). I think light colored tights might be better to show flexibility and form but it should be up to the gymnast. The only problem I had with Germany's unitards was that while watching the BBC coverage online, the background was dark and the dark colored unitard made it a little difficult to see their gymnastics.

 

[3rd_time_around]

I’ll just annoy everyone and probably get suspended again by saying that I think the full body suits look weird and aren't attractive. They remind me of a skier or surfer. And they show EVERYTHING, outlined in spandex. I like traditional leotards, I think they’re pretty and look great.

I also am glad USAG is cracking down on the bompketeky backless amd lingerie-looking leotards, because they are just not appropriate or necessary. And it’s a wonder they stay in place.

But I also wanted to clear up something that everyone needs to understand: the college gymnasts LIKE their high cut leotards. They actively pull them up higher AND they roll them under to make them even higher. Everyone is always saying “those poor girls in their too-small Leos,” but the girls do it on purpose. So instead if blaming the coach for their Leos being too small, blame them for allowing the gymnasts to pull them up so high instead of wearing them properly.

 

[Deleted member 26744]

I've been away from gymnastics for a long time. Can you give me some examples of the backless and lingerie leotards you are talking about?

 

[3rd_time_around]

I've been away from gymnastics for a long time. Can you give me some examples of the backless and lingerie leotards you are talking about?

I can’t name names here, you know that. But I’m talking about some high profile gyms who pushed the limits of what is acceptable until it became so bad that the internet was buzzing about it. Go back to 2018 and watch some US elite comps, then you’ll see. Also, Sylvia P was becoming popular, and the first time someone posted pics of their Leos here, I honestly thought it was a VS catalog page. There are also clubs around the country who were putting their gymnasts in completely backless Leos, or skimpy Leos, spaghetti straps in competition (against the rules), etc. Pics will not be posted as that is against the rules.

 

[Deleted member 26744]

I can’t name names here, you know that. But I’m talking about some high profile gyms who pushed the limits of what is acceptable until it became so bad that the internet was buzzing about it. Go back to 2018 and watch some US elite comps, then you’ll see. Also, Sylvia P was becoming popular, and the first time someone posted pics of their Leos here, I honestly thought it was a VS catalog page. There are also clubs around the country who were putting their gymnasts in completely backless Leos, or skimpy Leos, spaghetti straps in competition (against the rules), etc. Pics will not be posted as that is against the rules.

Sorry, I didn't need any photos, just the name of the competition or something like that. I'm new and also don't know the rules here exactly. I did see some in the college level that looked like what you were talking about. Dress code is such a difficult thing in gymnastics when you've got gymnasts of all different ages, and different beliefs competing and then you also bring into it that you need to show form.

 

[gym_dad32608]

Idk, lets separate two issues here that are implied in one topic. The first is sexualization of athletes, the second is the empowerment of athletes to decide what they want to wear. On the first, I think you are crazy if you think wearing a full-body suit is any less sexual than a leo. One might argue they are even more sexual given the body forming. Go to some modern ballets or dance if you want to see. It is almost un-avoidable for modern athletes that are looking for competitive edges in performance that uniforms get tighter, skimpier, etc. And anytime you mix tight outfits on athletic frames you are going to get people that sexualize them.
Now not to be confused but related with the second. Some athletes may feel and I stress feel that wearing a leo is sexualizing them. I respect that and if they do, they should have the ability to wear whatever (within reason) makes them feel comfortable competing. That could be a body suit, shorts and top or just the standard leo. I would also caution folks on the borderline ****-shaming of girls that might prefer to continue to wear high cut leos.

 

[Deleted member 26744]

Idk, lets separate two issues here that are implied in one topic. The first is sexualization of athletes, the second is the empowerment of athletes to decide what they want to wear. On the first, I think you are crazy if you think wearing a full-body suit is any less sexual than a leo. One might argue they are even more sexual given the body forming. Go to some modern ballets or dance if you want to see. It is almost un-avoidable for modern athletes that are looking for competitive edges in performance that uniforms get tighter, skimpier, etc. And anytime you mix tight outfits on athletic frames you are going to get people that sexualize them.
Now not to be confused but related with the second. Some athletes may feel and I stress feel that wearing a leo is sexualizing them. I respect that and if they do, they should have the ability to wear whatever (within reason) makes them feel comfortable competing. That could be a body suit, shorts and top or just the standard leo. I would also caution folks on the borderline ****-shaming of girls that might prefer to continue to wear high cut leos.

I agree that gymnasts should be able to wear whatever make them feel comfortable.

I grew up down the street from a gymnastics gym and I went there sometimes, but I spent most of my time training at home. I was my own coach and I spent hours training every day. I pretended I was Nadia Comaneci. My parents made me a balance beam, an uneven bar, bought me a blue mat, and we had a trampoline. I had a long career as a private gymnast at home. The biggest reason for all of this was my shyness and extreme discomfort in a leotard. I also did not believe I was physically attractive enough to be a gymnast on a team.

 

[Deleted member 26718]

I like the outfits linked above, and I support giving them options to be more covered. That said, loosening restrictions on outfits could lead to people making outlandish and distracting outfits, so that's an issue.

One problem I can think of for the above outfits would be, with those black leggings, would it make their movements harder to judge? It's not OK if it causes difficulty when judging.