Olympians demand end to ‘sexist’ leotards

Nadia Comaneci, 13, of Romania, in a double exposure at Wembley’s Empire Pool in 1975

Former Olympian gymnasts are backing a campaign to end “sexist” rules demanding women wear leotards with strict specifications.

There are increasing calls for women gymnasts to be encouraged to wear unitards – full-length bodysuits – in competitions and changes to the rules demanding leotards are “elegant” and no longer than 2cm “below the base of the buttocks.”

Last month, the German gymnastic team brought the issue into the spotlight by wearing unitards at the European Championships as a stand against “sexualisation” in the sport, which has been rocked by a number of abuse scandals. One of the team, Sarah Voss, said she wanted to be a role model for “young gymnasts who don’t feel very safe in every situation”.

Yesterday, Jennifer Pinches, a retired gymnast who was part of Team GB at the 2012 Olympics and last year co-founded Gymnasts for Change, said: “It seems ridiculous that we’re policing particularly women’s bodies to this extent in 2021.”

International Federation of Gymnastics rules say full-length bodysuits can be worn but are usually only worn by competitors for religious reasons.

Yesterday, Scottish Gymnastics backed females who choose to wear unitards, saying the main priority is for them to feel comfortable.