# Men's vs Women's Beach Volleyball Attire **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 14, 2008, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-vs-womens-beach-volleyball-attire/460042 "2008-08-14T23:19:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-vs-womens-beach-volleyball-attire/460042/1 "2008-08-14T23:19:59Z")
Watching women’s volleyball, I starting wondering about their attire. Why the skimpy outfits? Didn’t bother me. They’ve got amazing figures and are a pleasure to watch. I then realized that a more body-covering one-piece would be more restrictive/have more of a potential to bind/go up the butt, etc. Makes sense. Excellent, can’t wait to see the guys in their equally small, yet secure outfits. WHAA…? They’re wearing loose tank tops and baggy shorts?!? What gives? I’ve been robbed! Can anyone explain the discrepancy? Wouldn’t you think they’d all be either loose or tight? In all of the other sports, men and women are more similarly attired, right? Gymnastics, swimming, diving, etc. Any ideas? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-vs-womens-beach-volleyball-attire/460042/2 "2008-08-14T23:31:19Z")
I believe the rules actually state that women have to wear skimpy outfits. Beach volleyball has been criticized for the revealing uniforms, primarily the bikinis worn by female competitors. Some Beach volleyball competitions, including the Olympics, have rules restricting the maximum size of uniforms > **[Beach volleyball](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beach_volleyball)** > > Beach volleyball is a team sport played by two teams of two or more players on a sand court divided by a net. Similar to indoor volleyball, the objective of the game is to send the ball over the net and to ground it on the opponent's side of the court. Each team also works in unison to prevent the opposing team from grounding the ball on their side of the court. > Teams are allowed up to three touches to return the ball across the net, and individual players may not touch the ball twice consecut... It all goes with playing music and being on the beach … they want to attract spectators and TV companies. ---
**Author:** ![filmyak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@filmyak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmyak)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-vs-womens-beach-volleyball-attire/460042/3 "2008-08-14T23:44:07Z")
My wife and I were just as surprised at the difference. The wiki article is great at explaining why the skimpy clothes for the ladies, but completely ignores the baggy shorts and tshirts for the guys… very strange juxtaposition. I’m all for babes in bikinis, by the way, and I’m also glad the guys are in t-shirts. I mean come on, you want me to have to compete with buff, tan athletes in front of my wife? Sheesh! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2008, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-vs-womens-beach-volleyball-attire/460042/4 "2008-08-14T23:46:02Z")
Here are a couple excerpts from the [rules](http://www.fivb.org/EN/BeachVolleyBall/Competitions/Olympics/WATH2004/2004%20Specific%20Events%20Regulations.pdf) from the 2004 Athens games (PDF link): > [@FIVB Rules](#): > > **Men’s Uniforms** > Style (see diagram) > The tank top must fit closely to the body and the design must be with open arms, respecting the space for the required placements of the manufacturer trademark, player number, country flag and country code, also respecting the place for the player’s name. > The shorts must be in accordance with the enclosed diagram and not be baggy. For all players the bottom of the shorts must be a minimum of 15cm above the top of the knee cap. > > **Women’s Uniforms** > Style (see diagram) > The top must fit closely to the body and the design must be with deep cutaway armholes on the back, upper chest and stomach (2-piece), respecting the space for the required for the manufacturer logo, player number, country flag and country code, and the place for the player’s name. > The briefs should be in accordance with the enclosed diagram, be a close fit and be cut on an upward angle towards the top of the leg. The side width must be maximum 7 cm. The one piece uniform must closely fit and the design must be with open back and upper chest, respecting the space for the required inscriptions to be made. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-vs-womens-beach-volleyball-attire/460042/5 "2008-08-15T01:41:20Z")
They wear the same thing they wear on the actual beach. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-vs-womens-beach-volleyball-attire/460042/6 "2008-08-15T14:44:03Z")
Meh. I don’t see why people take such extreme positions on the issue. I jokingly pretend that I’m hugely in favor of the bikinis when a game is on and I’m talking to my wife (“Hey, look! They keep score in beach volleyball! Who knew!”). In truth, though, I’d prefer to do my ogling elsewhere. Beach volleyball players, while impressive athletically, aren’t my cup of tea. Most of them look like scarecrows made out of leather. The sun exposure hasn’t been very kind to their skin. Have fun watching the volleyball, I’ll be over there scoping out Amanda Beard. ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-vs-womens-beach-volleyball-attire/460042/7 "2008-08-15T15:15:23Z")
[QUOTE=Max Torque] Meh. I don’t see why people take such extreme positions on the issue. I jokingly pretend that I’m hugely in favor of the bikinis when a game is on and I’m talking to my wife (“Hey, look! They keep score in beach volleyball! Who knew!”). In truth, though, I’d prefer to do my ogling elsewhere. Beach volleyball players, while impressive athletically, aren’t my cup of tea. Most of them look like scarecrows made out of leather. The sun exposure hasn’t been very kind to their skin. Have fun watching the volleyball, I’ll be over there scoping out Amanda Beard. [/QUOTE] The synchronized diving also raised some questions in my mind. Was it really necessary, from an athletic standpoint, to show the girls showering off the chlorine after their dive and then dipping into the hot tub together to keep limber? Not that I imagine either of these facets raised any significant complaints. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-vs-womens-beach-volleyball-attire/460042/8 "2008-08-15T15:38:43Z")
[QUOTE=Huerta88] The synchronized diving also raised some questions in my mind. Was it really necessary, from an athletic standpoint, to show the girls showering off the chlorine after their dive and then dipping into the hot tub together to keep limber? Not that I imagine either of these facets raised any significant complaints. [/QUOTE] [They’re not showering off chlorine.](http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/The-mystery-of-the-showering-divers?urn=oly,100472) ---
**Author:** ![TJVM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b38774/32.png) [@TJVM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJVM)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-vs-womens-beach-volleyball-attire/460042/9 "2008-08-15T16:38:45Z")
Going by the rules linked above, women are allowed to wear a one-piece uniform that’s less revealing. I haven’t seen any women wearing them. My guess is that bikini-wear is just part of beach-volleyball culture. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-vs-womens-beach-volleyball-attire/460042/10 "2008-08-15T23:24:21Z")
i also protest the more modest beach volleyball men’s wear. why can’t the women wear siglets and shorts? dang rules.