- Gymnastics New Zealand permits leggings or shorts over leotards
- Changes aim to make athletes feel comfortable and safe
- Rules alterations address antiquated and ambiguous dress regulations
Gymnastics New Zealand (GNZ) has reformed its dress code to permit girls and women to wear leggings or shorts instead of leotards. It will no longer penalise competitors in New Zealand for visible undergarments and bra straps.
The governing body stated that the modifications were implemented in response to a survey of more than two hundred competitive gymnasts, which revealed that the athletes desired to “feel safe and comfortable” in the sport. “In our opinion, the pants regulations were ambiguous, inconsistently enforced, and, to be candid, a bit antiquated,” said Andrea Nelson, chief executive officer of GNZ, in a statement.
“All we’re doing is ensuring you have the option wherever you are in the sport.” To ensure that no individual experiences discomfort or exclusion.”
The newly implemented regulations exclusively apply to competitions held within the borders of New Zealand. The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) regulations continue to regulate gymnasts during international competitions.
Feminine participants must don “appropriate sportive non-transparent leotards or unitards… that ought to exhibit an elegant design.”
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Infractions of attire during individual or team routines may result in a deduction of 0.30 to 1.00 points from the final tally of female athletes.
Before this, athletes had expressed apprehensions regarding gymnastic attire. For instance, the German team opted to don full-body suits during the Tokyo Olympics as a protest against the objectification of women in athletics.
A 2021 Sports New Zealand study of female adolescents found that many were abandoning sports and active recreation due to discomfort with certain equipment.
Nelson suggested that easing some attire regulations encourages girls to participate in sports and aligns the regulations for g, girls with those for boys, who have historically been permitted to wear shorts or trousers.
Nelson further stated, “Gymnastics is a difficult enough sport without having to worry about receiving a deduction because a judge can see your bra strap.”
