Beach volleyball was officially added to the Olympic Games in 1996. Today, it is one of the most popular sports at the Games.

For example, Team USA athletes such as Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings became world famous after winning multiple medals in the beach volleyball competition.

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Often, the clothing players wear on the field generates as much attention as the sport itself. Criticism has been voiced over the years about the sport’s typically small women’s uniforms, but according to the athletes themselves, there are reasons why bikinis are favored during play.

Below you can read more about the origins of beach volleyball uniforms and how they have evolved since then.

A Brief History

Beach volleyball’s coastal origins explain why athletes have been wearing swimwear-like outfits, or bikini bottoms, for years.

“Beach volleyball is a sport that originated in Hawaii and Southern California and the beaches of Rio,” 2021 Olympic medalist April Ross told The Associated Press. “You play, it’s warm, and then you jump in the water.”

Even a little rain can’t spoil the fun: some beach volleyball athletes at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, for example, faced showers as Paris braces for gloomy weather.

“This is another reason why we play in swimwear,” May-Treanor said after a downpour during the 2008 Games.

Uniform options

Nowadays, female athletes are not required to wear bikini bottoms during competitions. Two-pieces are still an option for women, but one-pieces and short-sleeved tops are also allowed. Long leggings and long-sleeved tops are also allowed in cold weather or for religious reasons. Finally, there are two different length options for shorts.

For the 2012 London Olympics, additional uniform options were introduced to encourage more countries to participate in the sport. Before that, women wore the typical bikini uniform.

The sport’s governing body, the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), said this was to accommodate players from diverse backgrounds. “A lot of these countries have religious and cultural requirements, so the uniform had to be more flexible,” FIVB spokesman Richard Baker told the Associated Press in 2012.

Men, on the other hand, wear tank tops and pants that resemble board shorts. In many beach volleyball matches outside of the Olympics, it is customary for men to go shirtless. They also have long-sleeved tops and leggings in case it gets cold.

All players are allowed to wear a hat and sunglasses.

Uniform guidelines

The FIVB requires specific measurements depending on each uniform. For example, bikini bottoms must have a waistband no longer than 2.8 inches, and men are not allowed to wear shorts longer than 3.9 inches above the knee.

The FIVB requires all uniforms to be “tight.” As Olympic beach volleyball player Jennifer Kessy explained, there are logistical reasons for this. “Our uniforms have to fit just right so they don’t move around to places we don’t want them to,” she told Today in 2021. “A tailored fit is essential.”

Women’s briefs “should be cut at an upward angle toward the top of the leg,” while one-piece briefs “should be tight-fitting and have an open back and upper bust.”

It is recommended that knee length pants have an overall length of (18.5 inches) and (1.2 inches) above the knee. Knee length pants should be approximately 35 inches long.

Teammates must wear matching uniforms. Sizing guidelines also apply to logos and texts.

Anyone who does not comply with FIVB rules risks fines and penalties, including possible disqualification.

Why Some Athletes Prefer Bikinis

Many beach volleyball players say that bikinis are optimal for the sport. Two-piece suits prevent sand from getting stuck in the uniform, which distracts from the game. According to Kessy, this is why she doesn’t wear a one-piece.

“It restricted my movement – imagine diving chest first and getting more sand than you think into the front of your suit. You can’t keep it in and it’s not easy to get it out. I found myself having to adjust my one-piece suit all the time and while it was embarrassing, it also took my focus away from the match I was playing,” she explained to Today.

Still, athletes like Egypt’s Doaa Elghobashy are embracing playing in more modest uniforms. “I’ve been wearing a hijab for 10 years,” she told the AP in 2016. “It doesn’t keep me from doing the things I love, and beach volleyball is one of them.”

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