A Lot Of Hoo-ha

 According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, hoo-ha  means "Too much interest or discussion about something that is not important. Synonyms; commotion, disturbance, kerfuffle" There's plenty of hooha in the sporting world right now.

Those who know me well will be aware that I am not in any sense a sport sort of person - I don't support any football teams, or watch sport on TV. I cheer Steph and Gaz from the sidelines when they are running. That's about it.

 My only competitive game is Scrabble. And don't get me started on the 'new' version announced last week. All I can say is words fail me!

This summer the Olympic Games will happen in Paris

The French team revealed their outfits recently, designed by Stephane Ashpool, the guy behind the popular Pigalle streetwear brand. I quite like it, well thought out, using the tricolor as its overall motif - and clever twists [check out the link above - I like the fencing kit - all white apart from the tricolor mask]

We've yet to see the Team GB uniform - but there was some hooha when they revealed the new flag. There has already been so much fuss about the pink and purple that they have had to agree that the team themselves will have the traditional red-white-and-blue flags.

But if you really want kerfuffle, take a look at the outfits designed by Nike for Team USA

For starters, these are all different colours, there's no cohesiveness about them. Then [you can't see this here] the script on them is apparently very close to the despised comic sans. But worst of all, the kit appears to many to be extremely sexist in design.

Nike have said "On the apparel side, why it's a game changer for us, is that because we've now been able to take athletic insights, along with data, and use that algorithm to create something that allows us to get to a level of specificity, fidelity and accuracy that we've never been able to do before"

For track and field events, men get to wear shorts, but female athletes have a sleeveless one piece which is high cut and extremely revealing round their ..lower regions [in the US often referred to as the hooha]

There has been an incredible amount of backlash. These garments have been declared totally unfit for purpose. Many sportswomen have said they would feel unable to run, do long jump, or high jump, or walk - basically, they feel any movement might trigger an embarrassing "wardrobe malfunction". Not to mention chafing and general discomfort. 

One suggested that they might like to get EuropeanWax to be the team sponsor. Others have questioned where they got their "Athletic insights" saying "men just need to worry about their athletic performance, women have to worry about chafing...and getting a bikini wax. Definitely equal opportunities, huh!"

Nike is worth $138 billion, they surely are aware of the impact of this design. These garments imply sexism and incompetence. Girls are twice as likely as boys to drop out of sports by the age of 14. Dealing with body mage and self-esteem issues is very hard, without being expected to wear such revealing, uncomfortable outfits. Nike have got this one very wrong!

Let's hope someone at Team GB is taking note, and when the British kit is announced later this month, it is a little more appropriate. This is meant to be world class sport, not a throwback to the days of Baywatch [toned down porn]

When the first modern day Olympians said "Faster, Higher, Stronger" the second word did not refer to the cut of the garments!!