Olympicados - The Outfits

While all eyes are on the Olympic Games in Beijing, it seems like some sports are more popular than others. We all remember the Athens Games and at those they had a hard time selling tickets to some of the events. While most were completely sold out, at others officials were practically handing out tickets for free. Especially Table Tennis proved to be a problem. While, if you actually watch it, is quite exciting it just doesn't have the OOOOMPF that other, much larger sports have.

The reason why I gave it a shot Thursday morning at 6am was that our Danish medal hope was playing a Croatian veteran. While Michael Maze is one of the best in the world he couldn't stand the pressure from the Croatian and he eventually lost his first match. With that he was finished in the Olympic Games which was very unfortunate and he was quite unhappy with himself.

Anyway back to the issue at hand, Table Tennis just isn't a very sexy sport. Even with the huge popularity it has in China, it is one of the events that have the smallest audience. In an attempt to turn Table Tennis into the next Beach Volley someone rather has made the suggestions to put the ladies, and gentlemen participating into more figure hugging outfits. Afterall there is no reason why the men and women look the same.

In this post I will take you through the outfits that are acceptable, as well as the ones where it seems like there is gender discrimination and even some that are just plain hideous. Or all of the above. We'll start with the Table Tennis outfits.

1. Table Tennis

As mentioned already, isn't a sexy sport and here is a reason why people have that opinion.

The mens outfit, although a little baggy isn't too bad.


Is this a woman? With an outfit like that, one could have doubts.

These outfits may very well be turned into something a little more sexy before the London Games in 2012. Just maybe people will start watching it. I'd say "again" but to be honest I'm not sure if anyone ever did. It's not that dull actually. Moving on.

2. Diving

Now diving is interesting. I quite like it. Today, or well yesterday I watched the womens 10m diving from the tower. How people can make themselves do handstands up there and jump over the edge is beyond me. The jump where they have their back to the pool is scary because I always worry they are going to hit their head on the platform on the way down. Thankfully there was no such drama. There were a few really bad jumps though as well as near perfect ones from those tiny 16 year old Chinese girls. I swear, the splash went downwards into the water. No water flew upwards. Weird.

Anyway, diving outfits are completely CyberPete approved. Less is more you know. Especially on the men - and most especially on my Olympic boyfriend Alexandre Despatie.

This is not my Olympic boyfriend Alexandre Despatie though. He got a little selfconscious after my last post.

3. Athletics

I was watching some of the athletics from yesterday. The thing where they do 2 jumps and ends that by jumping into the sand trap etc. etc. I don't know if it was the Danish coverage that does that or if you all get the same kind. Isn't it rather sporatic and confusing? One moment you are watching some guy doing the jumping thing, the next you saw the Americans doing the 400 meter relay where they dropped the baton (both the men and the women - did someone say butterfingers?) and then it jumped on to show us the spear throwing thing and so on and so forth. There didn't seem to be any sort of direction in it and I couldn't follow any of the scores. Anyway, OUTFITS!

The athletics outfits are 100% CyberPete approved. I assume they are quite comfortable as well when you are competing in those different things because it gives you lots of movement. A perk is they look great on a well trained body like that. It looks a lot like the wrestling outfit which is also approved.

So, Tim when are you jumping into one of these?

4. Volleyball

I watched a bit of the womens Volleyball match between the US and Cuba (I believe) which was a pretty good match. Why can't I ever manage to catch any of the men competing? Anyway this is how the outfits are.

Nothing too special but I've seen worse

These outfits aren't too spectacular and I'd say they could be improved a bit. Not just for looks but also for movement. Not very unlike the handball outfits which I've chosen not to feature here because we didn't make the Semi Finals (sour grapes, I think so).

5. Beach Volley

This is probably the sexiest and most exciting sport involving a ball at the Olympics. It's also a relatively new Olympic sport as it was introduced for the first time at the Sydney Games in 2000. I've been trying like a madman to catch a mens match but I've been out of luck. I did catch the US beating China for the Gold medal yesterday. Or at least I think it was the final match. I could be wrong, confusing it with Volleyball.

Anyway those outfits are the most discussed outfits at the Games. Some say that the womens outfits are way too sexy. Personally I don't mind, but I do find that there is a gender discrimination going on. Surely the men should play with their tops off. If it's the matter of the country, name and a number being on the back of the shirt. They could just do what they did at the swimming marathon. Where they painted it on the contestants.

Here are a few examples of this gender discrimination travesty.

The poor lads in their tops


They look like they should take their tops off. Because they are so hot.


Is it a sport or a beachwear/lingerie showcasing


They are quite skimpy all things considering.


Oh dear - plus she wouldn't know what's knickers and what's the bra if it wasn't written on it.

6. Gymnastics

The gymnastics category is everything from the trampoline to floor gymnastics and the balance beam. This is another gender discrimination travesty. The women/girls get away with only wearing a leotard (sequined from time to time) while then men are wearing a full on trousers shirt combo. In all honesty this full on trousers and shirt combo is atrocious. Some more than others obviously due to the country design. The make of this uniform is just appalling and I can't believe they haven't come up with someone a little more trendy or aerodynamic. This is how different the women/girls and mens outfits are.

Girl in gymnastics leotard (is there a bulge down there like she's tucked away a little secret?)

Another leotard, this time with long sleeves

Yet another leotard. It just isn't fair.

Oh look at the horrendous trousers. They are so very ugly.

Another crime against men and fashion.

Ugh, look at those. It's just such a faux pas. I'm sure they'd be better off in leotards.

Another crime against fashion and men in general, this time on the Trampoline.

Thankfully there are other disciplines at the Olympic Games that have nice outfits. We've already seen the swimmers so I just have to mention briefly that I'm so disappointed with their decisions to wear the full on swim suit from Speedo. It's a little sad that we can't perv on the them in the same way we could when they were just wearing that teeny tiny Speedo. Yet apparently the suits are enhancing their performers. Which is odd, because as far as I remember the sexy Michael Phelps - what a body! (here's something for the google search - yay!) didn't wear the full suit but rather just a longer type Speedo pants. Afterall he won 8 Gold Medals!

As you can gather from this, I'd like to see everyone pretty much just wearing a leotard or what the Athletics guys wore. That would be nice but let's be honest those gymnast mens outfits are horrid. Poor lads.

What are your thoughts?