Nike Track and Field ‘Outfit’ Controversy: Plot Thickens As Dwayne Johnson’s Ex-Wife Asks Concerning Question to Athletes

The unveiling of Team USA’s 2024 Paris Olympics uniforms by Citius Mag on April 11 has stirred up a storm of controversy! While the reveal was intended to generate excitement for the upcoming games, it has instead sparked heated debate, particularly regarding the design of the women’s high-cut leotards. Amongst the growing list of critics is Dwayne Johnson’s ex-wife, Dany Garcia.

Besides being a professional bodybuilder, Garcia founded The Garcia Companies, a brand development and management firm. The company oversees a diverse portfolio of brands, including the Seven Bucks, Athleticon, Acorn, and Atom Tickets. Adding to the list is her fashion brand, GSTQ (inspired by the British royal anthem “God Save the Queen”), which was launched in 2021 to “design clothes that move with our customers while they make the moves.” 

Given Garcia’s background as both an athlete and a clothing brand owner, she is uniquely positioned to offer insight into the challenges of athletic attire. And so she did! Recently, Diet Prada, a fashion industry, posted a picture amidst the Nike outfit controversy of Olympic long jumper Tara Davis stating, “Wait my hoo haa is gonna be out.” 

Dany Garcia addressed this on her Instagram story, “I know this story has been out for a beat, but seriously, who the F was in the room when they were convinced this was a good idea ???? Who didn’t speak up??!!!” This came after Nike announced they created uniforms that  “met athletes’ desires for choice, comfort, and performance.” How did they do this? By meeting athletes from every sport for which they designed uniforms. And per Garcia, someone gave the one in contention the green light.

“Nike designed the Paris 2024 track and field kits to offer athletes a range of silhouettes tailored for various sport disciplines, body types, and sizes, prioritizing performance and maximum breathability,” said the company’s chief innovation officer, John Hoke. Considering her remark, Dany Garcia clearly isn’t on board with Team USA’s 2024 Paris Olympics outfits. She became yet another in the long line of people deriding the newest outfits based on comfort and aesthetic design, among other aspects.

The big reveal, which occurred earlier this week in Paris, featured world champion sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson and Olympic gold medalist Athing Mu wearing versions of the uniforms that provided more coverage than the scrutinized design. The United States Track and Field Federation has confirmed that Americans will have a wide range of clothing choices for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

With Dwayne Johnson’s ex-wife entering the conversation, the spotlight on this issue intensifies, drawing attention to broader questions about the intersection of fashion, performance, and inclusivity in athletics. Despite their advanced manufacturing, Nike’s uniforms faced harsh criticism from the track community on social media platform X upon their reveal. 

Nike’s response to the criticism

Nike has been embroiled in controversies before. It is important to highlight the 70% pay disparity in maternity leave that Allyson Felix faced. This sparked a major controversy with Nike and needs to be addressed. Cut to now, three months before the behemoth games, the track and field women’s bodysuit is in the spotlight, smack dab in the middle of controversy. 

In response to the criticism, Nike issued a statement, telling the audience that female runners were not limited to the collections and that the new lines have 50 more styles to choose from, including shorts. “We showcased some of the new Olympic uniforms at the Nike On Air experience in Paris. But, as we are a few months from the Games and working with limited samples in a limited format presentation, not all looks and styles were featured,” a Nike spokesperson addressed in a mail. It remains to be seen how this impending discourse goes forward now.