# When did the Olympics get nekkid? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 29, 2004, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-olympics-get-nekkid/262123 "2004-08-29T20:06:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-olympics-get-nekkid/262123/1 "2004-08-29T20:06:18Z")
Is it just me, or was this the nakedest Olympics ever? I must admit, I haven’t watched the Olympics much – pretty much missed the Olympics in Sydney wholesale for whatever reason, but these Olympics seem a lot nakeder than any I’ve seen before. Let me make it clear: I am not complaining. No way am I complaining, I like looking at the athlete’s bodies. I would not mind if they performed nude. I mean, I could handle nude male athletes if it meant there would also be nude women athletes. But that’s probably a couple of Olympics down the road. To be frank, those spandex panties the female Olympic sprinters and runners wore made the exact shape and delineation of their bodies very clear. They weren’t thongs, but they weren’t bad. And the women’s beach volleyball players bending over in their skimpy bikinis and rolling around in the sand … talk about your thrill of athletic competition! Anyway, I guess I’m asking if it wasn’t just me … was this a nekkider Olympics than in the past, or what? Then there were the ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-olympics-get-nekkid/262123/2 "2004-08-29T20:11:47Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > Is it just me, or was this the nakedest Olympics ever? The original Olympics were ALL nude, so no, this wasn’t even close. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-olympics-get-nekkid/262123/3 "2004-08-29T20:12:23Z")
The original Olympics, in ancient Greece, were all performed naked. Of course, they only had men… ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-olympics-get-nekkid/262123/4 "2004-08-29T20:13:15Z")
…Which is why they weren’t televised. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-olympics-get-nekkid/262123/5 "2004-08-29T20:18:10Z")
They’ve been televised, in my head, many many times. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-olympics-get-nekkid/262123/6 "2004-08-29T20:19:00Z")
> [@](#): > > The original Olympics, in ancient Greece, were all performed naked. Naked, but slathered all over in olive oil (extra virgin?). I don’t know if the wrestlers used oil, though. I can see it now: “See the XXX-treme Games, on Satellite and Cable Pay-Per-View… Sign up now!” ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-olympics-get-nekkid/262123/7 "2004-08-29T20:25:32Z")
Watching it on Satellite just didn’t cut it…you had to be there. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-olympics-get-nekkid/262123/8 "2004-08-29T20:25:46Z")
Is it just me, or did it seem like the men were wearing a lot more, relatively. (when I commented about the nekkid thing at home I got the Oh, Mom! rolleyes, so I guess the gear has been getting skimpier for awhile) ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-olympics-get-nekkid/262123/9 "2004-08-29T20:28:37Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > Is it just me, or did it seem like the men were wearing a lot more, relatively. Yes, unfortunately…I made the comment about the absolutely unfair and sexist differences between the men’s beach volleyball outfits and the women’s in another thread. If the straight boys and lesbians get to salivate over women in bikinis, the straight women and gay men should get equal time with the men in Speedos! ---
**Author:** ![Sycorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@Sycorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sycorax)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-olympics-get-nekkid/262123/10 "2004-08-29T20:30:41Z")
I haven’t watched much, but I haven’t seen much nekkidness except in the women’s competitions. I’ve seen some of the male and female beach volley ball competitions, and I have to ask: how come the women wear the bikini bottoms with sports bra tops, but the men wear the loose, baggy trunks and tank tops? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know – the scantily clad women attract male viewers, but I (a woman) would have stayed longer with the male volleyball if the men had been wearing skimpy bottoms and no tops (not necessarily speedos, but something “form-hugging.”) We women want eye candy too! ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-olympics-get-nekkid/262123/11 "2004-08-29T20:46:32Z")
You want eye candy, just wait for the Winter Games and those male speed skaters. Sure, they are all covered up, but those suits look like they are body paint, not clothing. As I heard it put “You can almost tell what religion the guys are!” ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-olympics-get-nekkid/262123/12 "2004-08-29T21:19:29Z")
Am I the only one who would be happy if everyone were _more_ covered up, in general? I’d just as soon enjoy these athletes for their skills than their (remarkably similar and not terribly interesting) bodies. I mean, they’re beautiful, no doubt. This playing-for-both-teams gal was enjoying Alexander Despatie and Misty May equally, but simultaneously feeling ooky because the competition isn’t supposed to be about the nicest abs or hardest bottoms. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-olympics-get-nekkid/262123/13 "2004-08-29T21:20:35Z")
Here, here, Jayjay. If anyone has a petition going let me know. I’ll sign it. Unfair! ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-olympics-get-nekkid/262123/14 "2004-08-29T21:31:21Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Yes, unfortunately…I made the comment about the absolutely unfair and sexist differences between the men’s beach volleyball outfits and the women’s in another thread. > > If the straight boys and lesbians get to salivate over women in bikinis, the straight women and gay men should get equal time with the men in Speedos! Some of those male divers had very skimpy speedos. You definitely can’t be shy and wear one of those things. The swimmers has an interesting suit also. It was a form-fitting but long trunk that sat very low on the hips. It was Paris Hilton"you could see my pubes if I didn’t shave them"low. In fact I wondered if the guys had shaved. I also watched the underwater camera views very carefully. As far as the nakedest Olympics goes, this one may well be the closest since the original, not only for the costumes but for the amount of athletes that have posed for Playboy and other nudie venues. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-olympics-get-nekkid/262123/15 "2004-08-29T21:36:09Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Yes, unfortunately…I made the comment about the absolutely unfair and sexist differences between the men’s beach volleyball outfits and the women’s in another thread. > > If the straight boys and lesbians get to salivate over women in bikinis, the straight women and gay men should get equal time with the men in Speedos! I take it you missed the men’s diving competition, then … ---
**Author:** ![Sycorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@Sycorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sycorax)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-olympics-get-nekkid/262123/16 "2004-08-29T21:46:30Z")
I agree, TeaElle. I’m not for more nekkidness - I’m just annoyed that sex-obsessed society has influenced even the Olympics into wooing more viewers with almost-nekkid women. The Olympics should be about athletics. I read an article in the Washington Post about how skimpily-clad “cheer leaders” were used with the male beach volleyball competitions. “Oooh - beach volleyball is a FUN competition! we just want everyone to have FUN…we’re just a bunch of sexy cuties who want everyone to have FUN!” Oy vey. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-olympics-get-nekkid/262123/17 "2004-08-29T21:48:32Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > I take it you missed the men’s diving competition, then … :smack: I completely forgot about the diving! And I’d even seen an awful lot of Michael Phelps nearly-nekkid icons on livejournal… ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-olympics-get-nekkid/262123/18 "2004-08-29T21:50:46Z")
Swimming is going the other way, since the suits cover more and more every Olympics. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-olympics-get-nekkid/262123/19 "2004-08-29T22:06:26Z")
> [@SmackFu](#): > > Swimming is going the other way, since the suits cover more and more every Olympics. As I understand it, with swimming it’s not a fashion thing, but how much resistance a given suit creates for its wearer. If swimmers and their coaches were convinced that wearing long feather boas reduced drag in the water, I’m sure they’d all be wearing long feather boas as they swim. I think some of them have decided some swimsuits that cover a lot of flesh reduce drag somehow, so they wear 'em. I’m sure if they thought nudity worked, they’d be nude, or as close to it as morality and the law permit. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-olympics-get-nekkid/262123/20 "2004-08-29T22:11:21Z")
One word: canoeing. My _word_ but there was something about those muscley men in their Lycra kneeling in their boats and cranking their paddles… Actually, every event in which there’s any sort of air or water resistance is moving to or has moved to the Lycra. I don’t follow sports at all on a regular basis so maybe this has been going on for a while. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-olympics-get-nekkid/262123.md?page=2)