Editing Bikini (section)

=== Beach volleyball ===
[[File:Brooke Sweat and Jennifer Fopma at Hermosa Beach 2012 (2) (cropped).jpg|thumb|US women's [[beach volleyball]] team has cited several advantages to bikini uniforms, such as comfort while playing on sand during hot weather.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ijr.com/2016/08/670528-heres-why-the-usa-womens-volleyball-team-refuses-to-stop-wearing-bikinis/|title=Here's Why the USA Women's Volleyball Team Refuses to Stop Wearing Bikinis|date=August 11, 2016|access-date=July 17, 2017|archive-date=July 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706191714/http://ijr.com/2016/08/670528-heres-why-the-usa-womens-volleyball-team-refuses-to-stop-wearing-bikinis|url-status=dead}}</ref> Photo shows US beach volleyball players [[Jennifer Fopma]] and [[Brooke Sweat]] in their uniforms.]]

In 1994, the bikini became the official uniform of [[Beach volleyball at the Summer Olympics#Women's beach volleyball|women's Olympic beach volleyball]].<ref name="cover-up">{{cite news|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/591787.stm |title=Aussies opt for bikini cover-up | work=[[BBC News]]| date=January 5, 2000}}</ref> In 1999, the [[Fédération Internationale de Volleyball|International Volleyball Federation]] (FIVB) standardized beach volleyball uniforms, with the bikini becoming the required uniform for women.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/STYLE/9901/13/vollyball.bikini/ |title=Bikini blues – Beach volleyball makes the swimsuit standard |publisher=[[CNN]]|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150809191530/http://www.cnn.com/STYLE/9901/13/vollyball.bikini/ |archive-date=August 9, 2015}}</ref> That regulation bottom is called a "bun-hugger",<ref name=patr /> and players names are often written on the back of the bottom.<ref name=patr />

The uniform made its Olympic debut at [[Bondi Beach]], [[Sydney]] during the [[2000 Summer Olympics]] amid some criticism.<ref name=stan>Mary Zeiss Stange, Carol K. Oyster and Jane E. Sloan (ed.), ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=B50Jad7552MC&q=bikini+beach+volleyball&pg=PA134 Encyclopedia of Women in Today's World]'' (Volume 1), page 134, SAGE, 2011, {{ISBN|978-1-4129-7685-5}}</ref> It was the fifth largest television audience of all the sports at the 2000 Games. Much of the interest was because of the sex appeal of bikini-clad players along with their athletic ability.<ref>Stuff Writer, "[https://www.espn.com/olympics/summer04/gen/news/story?id=1860176 Beach volleyball a popular spectator sport] ", [[ESPN]], August 16, 2004</ref> Bikini-clad dancers and cheerleaders entertain the audience during match breaks in many beach volleyball tournaments, including the Olympics.<ref name=patr /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/5705620/ |title=Beach volleyball's bikini cheerleaders stir up a storm |publisher=[[NBC Sports]]|date=August 17, 2004 |access-date=March 12, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080317105526/http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/5705620/ |archive-date=March 17, 2008}}</ref> Even [[Volleyball|indoor volleyball]] costumes followed suit to become smaller and tighter.<ref name=patr />

However, the FIVB's mandating of the bikini ran into problems. Some sports officials consider it exploitative and impractical in colder weather.<ref name="cover-up" /> It also drew the ire of some athletes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/olympics/sports/beach-volleyball.htm |title=Beach Volleyball |publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100419043317/http://www.abc.net.au/news/olympics/sports/beach-volleyball.htm |archive-date=April 19, 2010}}</ref> At the [[2006 Asian Games]] at Doha, Qatar, only one Muslim country&nbsp;– Iraq&nbsp;– fielded a team in the beach volleyball competition because of concerns that the uniform was inappropriate. They refused to wear bikinis.<ref>Associated Press, [http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3335511,00.html In Doha, beach volleyball bikinis create cultural clash] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402151805/http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3335511,00.html |date=April 2, 2015 }}, Ynet News, March 12, 2006. Retrieved March 12, 2008.</ref> The weather during the evening games in [[2012 Summer Olympics|2012 London Olympics]] was so cold that the players sometimes had to wear shirts and leggings.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/olympics/news-london-2012/beach-volleyball-but-not-beach-weather-aussies-lose-close-match-as-cold-bites-20120729-23562.html|title=Beach volleyball but not beach weather: Aussies lose close match as cold bites | work=[[The Canberra Times]]|date=July 29, 2012 |access-date=August 1, 2012}}</ref> Earlier in 2012, FIVB had announced it would allow shorts (maximum length {{convert|3|cm|abbr=on}} above the knee) and sleeved tops at the games. Richard Baker, the federation spokesperson, said that "many of these countries have religious and cultural requirements so the uniform needed to be more flexible".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/volleyball/9169429/London-2012-Olympics-female-beach-volleyball-players-permitted-to-wear-less-revealing-uniforms.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/volleyball/9169429/London-2012-Olympics-female-beach-volleyball-players-permitted-to-wear-less-revealing-uniforms.html |archive-date=January 11, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=London 2012 Olympics: female beach volleyball players permitted to wear less revealing uniforms |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|access-date=August 1, 2012 |date=March 27, 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

The bikini remains preferred by most players<ref name="mcpeak_uniform">{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/China/story?id=5589206&page=1 |title=Olympic Uniforms: Less Clothing Means Better Results |work=ABC News|date=2008-08-18}}</ref> and corporate sponsors.<ref name=patr>Patrice A. Oppliger, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=c77ABgAAQBAJ&q=bikini+beach+volleyball&pg=PA182 Girls Gone Skank: The Sexualization of Girls in American Culture]'', page 182-4, McFarland, 2008, {{ISBN|978-0-7864-8650-2}}</ref> US women's team has cited several advantages of bikini uniforms, such as comfort while playing on sand during hot weather.<ref name="ijr">{{cite web|url=http://ijr.com/2016/08/670528-heres-why-the-usa-womens-volleyball-team-refuses-to-stop-wearing-bikinis/|website=ijr.com|title=Here's Why the USA Women's Volleyball Team Refuses to Stop Wearing Bikinis|access-date=December 15, 2017|archive-date=October 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019112323/http://ijr.com/2016/08/670528-heres-why-the-usa-womens-volleyball-team-refuses-to-stop-wearing-bikinis/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Competitors [[Natalie Cook]]<ref>{{cite news |author=Jenny McAsey |url=http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/beijing_olympics/story/0,,24130706-5014104,00.html |title=Natalie Cook defends bikini |work=[[Herald Sun]]|date=June 5, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908051422/http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/beijing_olympics/story/0%2C%2C24130706-5014104%2C00.html |archive-date=September 8, 2008 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all}}</ref> and [[Holly McPeak]]<ref name="mcpeak_uniform" /> support the bikini as a practical uniform for a sport played on sand during the heat of summer. Olympic gold medal winner [[Kerry Walsh]] said, "I love our uniforms." According to fellow gold medalist [[Misty May-Treanor]] and Walsh it does not restrict movement.<ref name=patr />

One feminist viewpoint sees the bikini uniform as objectification of women athletes.<ref name=stan /> US beach volleyball player [[Gabrielle Reece]] described the bikini bottoms as uncomfortable with constant "yanking and fiddling."<ref name=patr /><ref name=blues>Jeanne Moos, "[http://edition.cnn.com/STYLE/9901/13/vollyball.bikini/ Bikini blues – Beach volleyball makes the swimsuit standard] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150406091308/http://edition.cnn.com/STYLE/9901/13/vollyball.bikini/ |date=April 6, 2015 }}", CNN, Jan 13, 1999</ref> Many female beach volleyball players have sustained injuries by over-training the [[abdominal muscles]] while many others have gone through [[augmentation mammoplasty]] to look appealing in their uniforms.<ref name=stan /> Australian competitor [[Nicole Sanderson]] said about match break entertainment that "it's kind of disrespectful to the female players. I'm sure the male spectators love it, but I find it a little bit offensive."<ref>{{cite web |title=Olympic briefs |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2004/aug/18/athensolympics2004.olympicgames20 |work=[[The Guardian]]|date=August 17, 2004 |access-date=August 18, 2013}}</ref>

Sports journalism expert Kimberly Bissell conducted a study on the camera angles used during the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] beach volleyball games. Bissell found that 20% of the camera angles were focused on the women's chests, and 17% on their buttocks. Bissell theorized that the appearance of the players draws fans attention more than their actual athleticism.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Bissell|first=Kimberly|author2=Andera Duke|title=Bump, Set, Spike: An Analysis of Commentary|journal=Journal of Promotion Management|year=2007|pages=35–53|doi=10.1300/J057v13n01_04|volume=13|issue=1–2|s2cid=167803591}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/02/beach-volleyball-photos-focus-on-womens-body-parts-not-athletics_n_1734372.html |title=Beach Volleyball Photos Focus On Women's Body Parts – Not Their Athletic Skills |first=Emma |last=Gray |access-date=August 17, 2013 |work=[[HuffPost|Huffington Post]]|date=August 2, 2012}}</ref>
Sports commentator [[Jeanne Moos]] commented, "Beach volleyball has now joined go-go girl dancing as perhaps the only two professions where a bikini is the required uniform."<ref name=patr /><ref name=blues /><ref>JG Daddario and BJ Wigley, "[http://muse.jhu.edu/login?auth=0&type=summary&url=/journals/journal_of_sports_media/v002/2.daddario.html Gender Marking and Racial Stereotyping at the 2004 Athens Games] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150406002535/http://muse.jhu.edu/login?auth=0&type=summary&url=%2Fjournals%2Fjournal_of_sports_media%2Fv002%2F2.daddario.html |date=April 6, 2015 }}", ''Journal of Sports Media'' (vol 2), [[University of Nebraska Press]], 2007</ref> British Olympian [[Denise Johns]] argues that the regulation uniform is intended to be "sexy" and to attract attention.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/sport/article106438.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150505003749/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/sport/article106438.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 5, 2015 |title=Denise Johns: There is more to beach volleyball than girls in bikinis |first=Brian |last=Schofield |newspaper=[[The Sunday Times]]|date=July 20, 2008 |access-date=May 4, 2015 |location=London}}</ref> Rubén Acosta, president of the FIVB, says that it makes the game more appealing to spectators.<ref name=stan />