Competing at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Paris La Defense Arena on Saturday (July 27) in Nanterre, France, the 28-year-old athlete sported a tightly fitted, eye-catching pair of trunks.
In a decision that appeared orchestrated by a public relations team, the Netherlands opted for a flesh-colored orange on the thighs of their trunks, creating an optical illusion that left Arno appearing almost naked, per News.com.au.
This bold choice stunned social media, with one person writing on X (formerly known as Twitter): “Definitely watching for the sport.”
Another simply asked: “Name???”
A different user exclaimed: “IN PUBLIC? IS THIS LEGAL?”
Historically, Olympic swimmers wore suits that covered as little skin as possible, with shaving one’s entire body being the primary method to enhance speed through the water. However, the 1996 Atlanta Games marked the beginning of the “bodysuit revolution,” according to NBC Olympics. At those Games, neck-to-knee swimsuits made their debut, with Speedo’s Aquablade model worn by several medal winners.
By the 2000 Sydney Games, swimmers wore suits that covered most of their bodies, sparking debates over whether these suits provided performance-enhancing benefits. The World Aquatics, swimming’s governing body, declined to ban these suits, leading to widespread adoption.
By the 2004 Games, Speedo’s Fastskin suit became popular among gold medalists, and the 2008 Beijing Games saw the introduction of Speedo’s LZR Racer, touted as the world’s fastest swimsuit due to its compressive, water-repellent, and chlorine-resistant fabric that reduced drag and streamlined the swimmer’s shape.
Despite finishing second in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke event with a time of 59.12, Arno expressed immense disappointment in his result, writing on Instagram: “Not what I came for,” accompanied by a broken heart emoji.
Arno, a native of Katwijk, also voiced his concerns over a recent doping controversy involving 23 Chinese swimmers testing positive for a banned drug, trimetazidine. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirmed these reports in April, but it accepted the findings of a Chinese investigation attributing the positive tests to substance contamination.
Arno criticized the lack of transparency, telling Reuters: “Everyone is questioning it, so it’s a lose-lose situation for everyone – for swimming lovers but also for the Chinese swimmers themselves. I think it’s hard to judge or say anything without knowing everything.”
While Arno’s trunks amused many, other Olympic sports gear faced criticism, particularly Team USA’s track and field uniforms. Unveiled by Nike, the risqué apparel sparked controversy in April, with accusations of sexism and concerns over practicality.
Lauren Fleshman, a retired US world champion runner, voiced her disapproval on Instagram, stating: “I’m sorry, but show me one WNBA or NWSL team who would enthusiastically support this kit. Women’s kits should be in service to performance, mentally and physically. If this outfit was truly beneficial to physical performance, men would wear it. This is not an elite athletic kit for track and field. This is a costume born of patriarchal forces that are no longer welcome or needed to get eyes on women’s sports.”
