US Women says Paris Olympics athletics uniform 'disrespectful'

Former US 5,000m champion, Lauren Fleshman, has described the Olympic uniforms presented for the United States' track and field team as "disrespectful".

Nike has unveiled Team USA's team's apparel, as well as those worn by other countries such as Germany, China, Canada, Uganda, and the basketball teams of South Korea, Japan, and Spain.

But the launch hasn't gone to plan, with criticism of the uniforms arriving as soon as the chosen models were published.

The women's uniform appears to resemble something close to a swimming costume, with no sleeves and a high cut at the crotch.

"The amount of attention it takes to your pubic area to wear something like that on a world stage when you're trying to be carefree and free to push your limits and not be worried about your body's every move... it's honestly disrespectful," Fleshman said, as reported by The Walt Street Journal.

 Colleen Quigley, who competed at the Rio 2016 Games and finished eighth in the 3,000m steeplechase, echoed the same sentiment:

"Everyone who competes for the US team deserves a uniform that they feel comfortable in, that they don't have to worry about feeling self-conscious, about putting their shorts on, or having a cameltoe," Quigley said.

There were also voices in favour of the uniforms, such as the 2020 Olympics pole vault champion and Nike athlete Katie Moon.

"I want to be clear and start by saying that what was shown on the mannequin was disturbing and justified the response it received. But I've also seen people making comments like 'Why can't they just make the men's uniform for women?'" she said on Instagram.

"I love people who defend women, but we have at least 20 different combinations of a uniform to compete with all the tops and bottoms available to us. When you attack by saying something along the lines of it being "sexist", even if it's with the best of intentions, you are ultimately attacking our choice as women to wear it.

"We do have the choice of what to wear, and whether we feel better in a potato sack or a swimming costume during competitions, we should support autonomy."

John Hoke, Nike's chief innovation officer, revealed that the two uniforms presented were just one of several options that will be available to athletes during the Games.