The Olympics in England is around the corner and it will be exciting to watch the skillful and dedicated women and men who are going to be competing. At the same time, the controversy over women’s volleyball outfits is ongoing. I came across the article “Blimey!!! Long johns, not bikinis, at Games?” in the Sacramento Bee. The article discusses how long johns may be necessary during this year’s game as temperatures will probably be low and some games will be played in the evenings. When asked whether or not long johns will detract audiences, Australian player Tamsin (Barnett) Hinchley said no, while stating “We need it to keep our muscles warm. It’s an extremely strenuous sport.” But the author of the article did not seem so pleased with that answer instead arguing that “Yes, but let’s get real. Long sleeves and leggings aren’t the main draw for many beach volleyball fans.”

Perhaps that is true, but anyone who has ever lived in or visited the UK or the northern hemisphere during the summer knows that just because the calendar says July or August does not mean that it is summer weather. In fact, it can be cold, really cold, rainy and windy. Let the female athletes wear whatever they want to, and let us focus on their skills as athletes. After all, they made it to the Olympics, so they must be kick-ass. [Read more...]