Uniforms and sportswear play an incredibly important role in the Olympics, perhaps an even bigger one than you might expect. In this blog, we break down several reasons why uniforms and fitness wear matter, both functionally and aesthetically.







Performance

Uniforms must be designed so that they support performance rather than hinder it. While these uniforms are certainly not major performance enhancers for talented athletes at the Olympic level, they do serve an important physical purpose and come equipped with necessary features. Further, sportswear can never have a “one size fits all” approach because each Olympic sport has unique requirements and environments. For example: sportswear worn for water sports is completely different than that which is worn for dry land sports. A swimmer could not wear a gymnast’s leotard because the fabric is thick, not waterproof, and covers too much surface area of the body, adding friction and weight. A great deal of innovation and precision goes into creating uniforms and fitness wear specifically for the Olympic Games, from fabric selection all the way to colour choice and placement. Temperature control and keeping players cool during outdoor sports competitions is also critical, as Rio is an extremely hot city in the summertime. Many competitors also require additional training wear that is different from what they wear during competitions.



Team unity and individual personality

For team sports, uniforms offer a sense of team cohesiveness and unity. In most cases, a team can be identified simply by what they are wearing. Uniforms are also a very important symbol of cultural pride and representation. This is very true of soccer, where jerseys are far more than just a shirt worn on the field. Teams also wear specially designed uniforms for the opening and closing cermonies.

For sports that involve individual competition, uniforms and sportswear help a competitor designate themselves from other competitors and are in many ways a form of expression. For instance, while the outerwear, or pants and jacket worn by gymnasts on the same team is uniform-based, leotard choices tend to be very individual and reflect the personality of that competitor. In cases of sports that have an artistic or dance element, sportswear is often coordinated with the routine in order to enhance and complete the performance.



Staff organization and designation

Competitors aren’t the only ones who are required to wear uniforms or a specific type of sportswear during the Olympics. All 87,000 staff members, which includes technical officials, operational staff, medical staff, and general support have customized uniforms that they must wear every single day. At the Rio 2016 Olympics, uniforms have four different bold and bright colours to designate the four different staff categories, and each colour both individually and combined is meant to reflect Rio’s rich and dynamic culture.



View the 2016-2020 Global Sports and Fitness Wear Market Report