Recently, a girl playing pickleball unexpectedly attracted attention on the social media platform Threads when she posted a series of photos focusing during her match. Accordingly, she wore a sports bra along with a short pleated skirt with an asymmetrical design. However, due to the design of the skirt and the angle of the shot while engaging in sports, some situations appeared somewhat revealing, which could be considered inappropriate.
This led to her post receiving over 1 million views and a lot of mixed comments. Many people condemned her, claiming that her outfit was not suitable for the pickleball court in particular or for sports in general.
The girl sparked controversy due to her pickleball outfit (Source: @emkimsayhi)
The online community expressed that this outfit mainly attracts those who come to the court to “show off,” aiming to flaunt their bodies rather than focusing on physical activity. Some comments even attacked her, stating that she was merely “playing sports under false pretenses,” “fundraising”….
However, many others believe that this outfit is not overly inappropriate. Moreover, those who have played pickleball also defended her, stating that this sport requires a lot of movement and burns a significant amount of calories during a session. Sometimes, just 30 minutes of playing pickleball leaves you drenched in sweat, especially in outdoor weather. Therefore, it is quite difficult to wear fully covered clothing from head to toe.
Additionally, pickleball players shared that there are no specific regulations regarding outfits while practicing or competing in this sport. Therefore, each player can choose the outfit that makes them feel the most comfortable.
Regarding the girl who posted the controversial content, she also candidly responded to an inappropriate comment related to her. When accused of being on the court to “fundraise,” she immediately “flexed” her achievements: “I got third place, you know, no need to generalize.”
Furthermore, on her Instagram page, which has over 28k followers, she often posts photos of her training and playing various sports. She has played golf, surfed, rock climbed, run,… and most recently, played pickleball. She also trains pickleball systematically with a coach and participates in several amateur tournaments.
In fact, many famous beauties also wear similar outfits to this girl when on the pickleball court. Most people believe that playing sports in comfortable, body-enhancing outfits is normal. As long as they don’t wear outfits that are not designed for sports or are overly revealing.
Milan Pham (Pham Tra My, born 1990) – who has also faced controversy regarding her outfit expressed: “No matter what others say, I play to the point where I cramp up in the middle of a livestream, so I know how to play… Sweaty people playing 7-8 hours a day in 40-degree heat, what should I wear? It’s hard enough to please myself, let alone please everyone else.”
Similarly, Phuong Dung, a girl who was also criticized on the internet when she was photographed on the pickleball court in what was deemed an inappropriate outfit, shared: “Public opinion has both positive and negative reactions, so there’s no issue. The outfit I wore is indeed a pickleball outfit. I saw people wearing it abroad to play pickleball, so I ordered it to wear. They sell it, so I bought it; I didn’t make it myself.”
“Not just me, but many young people dress like that, and no one says anything or discusses it. This incident is the first time I’ve encountered this. Personally, I play sports in a cheerful spirit, not thinking deeply about the things people are talking about.”
Alongside that, the public also expressed that for sports players, the most important thing remains the competition process of each athlete, each stroke, and their dedication. As for the outfit issue, as long as the wearer feels comfortable, a little sexy can still be acceptable. Moreover, women wear outfits from specialized activewear brands that are precisely designed in terms of material and fit, so the outfit should not be a matter for debate.