Sexiness comes in many forms

THE world of sports has long been male-dominated – from setting the beach handball attire of female athletes to placing prominence on looks than their athletic capabilities.

Due to this wave of misogyny, the sports world neither celebrates nor recognises the true achievements of women.

Take the case of the Norwegian women’s beach handball team, for example, who was slapped with a €1,500 (RM7,492) fine for defying the authorities by not wearing bikini bottoms during a game in the Euro 2021 tournament, as its members felt it “degrading and impractical” to do so.

The team’s achievement in winning gold at the 2017 European Athletics Championships was pushed to the background.

Another case is that of Germany’s Alicia Schmidt – who was given the title “bombshell” four years ago, despite her achievements in reaching the Olympics, as well as awarding her country second place in the 4x400m relay at the 2017 European Athletics Championships and bronze at the 2019 European Athletics U23 Championships.

However, when it comes to male athletes, immense focus is given to their entire career and progress, rather than their washboard abs.

Michael Jordan, who was initially rejected for being too short, now has a documentary on his life story as a National Basketball Association most valuable player.

And remember the moment when the media praised Michael Phelps – who, despite having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, beat the odds and became one of the most decorated Olympic athletes?

Both Jordan and Phelps were celebrated for their tenacity and beating the odds. Unfortunately, when it comes to women athletes, such stories are one in a million.

A case in point is that of Christine Ongare – a first-time featherweight boxer at the Tokyo Olympics – who became pregnant at the age of 12, but found refuge in boxing by overcoming a rigged system.

Living in a Nairobi ghetto, she took to throwing fists to survive in the rough neighbourhood and went on to win bronze at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Hard work, skills and power are sexy.

DeAnna Price – the gold medallist for hammer throw at the 2019 World Athletics Championships – will be making her second appearance at the Olympics this year.

In an extremely complex and technical sport like hammer throw, it takes women more than just power to propel a 4kg metal ball – and men can attest to this, as submitted by The Try Guys on YouTube when they tried the sport with United States Olympian Conor McCollough.

The finesse required in perfecting the skill to perfectly throw the hammer, while still covering ground is not within a common person’s capability.

Returning to the field a few months after having a child, performing just as perfect as before and make it to the Olympics are sexy.

Alex Morgan, an American soccer player and two-time World Cup champion, had her first child in May last year.

Just as she was ready to return to the field, she and her family contracted Covid-19, which set her back for almost a month.

Yet, there was no stopping her as she made it into the USA Olympics team.

Dedicating your life to sports till the end of your career is sexy.

Just like the story of Oksana Chusovitina, 46, an eight-time Olympic gymnast, who returned to the biggest stage in sports this year, before bidding her final goodbye.

Chusovitina started her gymnastics career at the age of 12, had competed at the international stage since 1989 and was a regular at the Olympics since the 1992 edition in Barcelona, Spain.

It is easy to look at an extremely well-toned body wrapped in nothing but a sports bra and bikini bottom, and think “hot” or “sexy”.

However, we should look at women athletes for who they are and appreciate their sacrifices in honing their skills and perfecting themselves for the sport of choice, instead of “praising” them by sexualising their outfits.

A prime example would be the German women's gymnastics team who opted to compete in qualifications at the Tokyo Olympics dressed in full-body suits.

Instead of being blinded by the commonly sexualizing leotards, which has long garnered many cases of sexual and physical abuse, we now see the athletes for the skills that they have. 

Not as performing ladies in pretty, glittering leotards doing flips and dances with props, but strong and dedicated athletes who are able to perform their stunts perfectly, while still making it look pretty.

Until that happens, sports will forever be under the control of misogyny and toxic masculinity.

It is high time that we acknowledge the sexiness of athletes for what it truly is. – The Vibes, July 27, 2021