there's a volleyball cover-up: Competitors can now wear shorts and T-shirts after complaints from conservative countries
Hot ticket: Beach volleyball is one of the most popular events for London 2012
Beach volleyball is one of the hottest tickets for the London 2012 Olympics.
But anyone hoping it will be a mere celebration of the scantily clad female form rather than a serious sport will be in for a disappointment.
It was announced last night that, for the first time, players will be allowed to wear shorts and T-shirts instead of the skimpy bikinis that have become synonymous with the sport.
The decision came after complaints from more conservative countries, but it will disappoint some fans hoping to watch a game once likened to ?Baywatch with balls?.
Richard Baker, of the International Volleyball Federation, said: ?Many of these countries have religious and cultural requirements, so the uniform needed to be more flexible.?
The rules used to demand that female players wear a top ?closely fitted to the body? and briefs with ?a side width no greater than 7cm?.
Under the new regulations, they can wear shorts as long as they are 3cm above the knee, and ?sleeved or sleeveless tops?.
Fans expressed dismay on Twitter yesterday.
Dave Powell wrote: ?It?s a cover up.
I want a refund?, while Chris Wilson said: ?Bikinis out of beach volleyball ? I fear they may have lost most of their audience with this.?
Only last week Shauna Mullin and her partner Zara Dampney, ranked number one in Great Britain, modelled barely-there bikinis designed by Stella McCartney for the official kit.
Bye, bye bikinis: Competitors take part in a test event at the Olympic venue of Horse Guards Parade. But fans may not see quite so much flesh in the summer as players have been given the option of wearing T-shirts and shorts instead
It is thought they will stick with these designs.
The British volleyball team have said bikinis are the most comfortable outfit to wear when playing in temperatures as high as 50c on beaches overseas.
But the athletes admitted the bikinis made it difficult to get sponsorship.
?Companies aren?t going to part with money if they don?t think of it as a serious sport,? said Miss Mullin.
Fellow player Lucy Boulton, ranked second in Britain with her partner Denise Johns, added: ?It is a double-edged sword.
We have to be realistic and accept the bikinis also help to get people to the event.?
Women?s Olympic beach volleyball will be played between July 28 and August 12 at Horse Guards Parade.
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London 2012 Olympics: Volleyball competitors can now wear shorts and T-shirts after complaints from conservative countries | Mail Online
- Fans furious after paying to see 'Baywatch with balls'
Hot ticket: Beach volleyball is one of the most popular events for London 2012Beach volleyball is one of the hottest tickets for the London 2012 Olympics.
But anyone hoping it will be a mere celebration of the scantily clad female form rather than a serious sport will be in for a disappointment.
It was announced last night that, for the first time, players will be allowed to wear shorts and T-shirts instead of the skimpy bikinis that have become synonymous with the sport.
The decision came after complaints from more conservative countries, but it will disappoint some fans hoping to watch a game once likened to ?Baywatch with balls?.
Richard Baker, of the International Volleyball Federation, said: ?Many of these countries have religious and cultural requirements, so the uniform needed to be more flexible.?
The rules used to demand that female players wear a top ?closely fitted to the body? and briefs with ?a side width no greater than 7cm?.
Under the new regulations, they can wear shorts as long as they are 3cm above the knee, and ?sleeved or sleeveless tops?.
Fans expressed dismay on Twitter yesterday.
Dave Powell wrote: ?It?s a cover up.
I want a refund?, while Chris Wilson said: ?Bikinis out of beach volleyball ? I fear they may have lost most of their audience with this.?
Only last week Shauna Mullin and her partner Zara Dampney, ranked number one in Great Britain, modelled barely-there bikinis designed by Stella McCartney for the official kit.
Bye, bye bikinis: Competitors take part in a test event at the Olympic venue of Horse Guards Parade. But fans may not see quite so much flesh in the summer as players have been given the option of wearing T-shirts and shorts insteadIt is thought they will stick with these designs.
The British volleyball team have said bikinis are the most comfortable outfit to wear when playing in temperatures as high as 50c on beaches overseas.
But the athletes admitted the bikinis made it difficult to get sponsorship.
?Companies aren?t going to part with money if they don?t think of it as a serious sport,? said Miss Mullin.
Fellow player Lucy Boulton, ranked second in Britain with her partner Denise Johns, added: ?It is a double-edged sword.
We have to be realistic and accept the bikinis also help to get people to the event.?
Women?s Olympic beach volleyball will be played between July 28 and August 12 at Horse Guards Parade.
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London 2012 Olympics: Volleyball competitors can now wear shorts and T-shirts after complaints from conservative countries | Mail Online
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