German gymnasts to wear full length unitard at Olympics to combat 'sexualization in gymnastics'

Instead of the high cut unitards spectators are used to seeing in gymnastics competitions, German gymnasts will be sporting a full length unitard to stand up against "sexualization in gymnastics."

According to Fox News, German team members will be wearing a unitard that cover their legs and show off their arms. They first premiered this new uniform at the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships in April, according to the BBC.

The German Federation (DTB) told the BBC in April that the gymnasts were standing up against "sexualization in gymnastics."

Sarah Voss, who is competing for Germany at the Tokyo Olympics, said in April she hoped that other gymnasts who are "uncomfortable in the usual outfits will feel emboldened to follow our example."

Voss told public broadcaster ZDF in April that she started to feel "uncomfortable" with the outfits as she grew older.

"We women all want to feel good in our skin," she said. "In the sport of gymnastics it gets harder and harder as you grow out of your child's body. As a little girl I didn't see the tight gym outfits as such a big deal. But when puberty began, when my period came, I began feeling increasingly uncomfortable."

The news of the German team's unconventional uniform decision comes in the wake of the Norwegian women's beach handball team's fining for deciding to wear shorts instead of the required bikini bottoms to compete in their Euro 2021 bronze medal game.

The team was fined €1,500 ($1,700) for wearing "improper clothing" during their match against Spain.