If BTN history has shown us anything,
it's that I'm probably not going to end up a sporting hero...
Take that, Serena Williams! (CHEERING)
..except maybe in my dreams.
That was a weird dream.
Luckily, there are lots of awesome women
around the world who really are kicking goals...
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
..going the distance, taking it to the hoop...
COMMENTATOR: And then she gets it!
..aceing it, and all the rest.
But lately, some athletes have been hitting headlines
not just because of their talent,
but because of what they've been wearing,
or not wearing, really.
Recently, this beach handball team from Norway -
yes, beach handball, it's a thing -
was fined thousands of dollars for wearing shorts
instead of regulation bikini bottoms
while competing at the European Championships.
The Norwegian team said they should be allowed to wear shorts
like the male players do.
It's important for us to not feel uncomfortable
when we're out there doing the sport we love.
Everything else should not come in the way
of what we do out there.
The fine made a lot of people angry, including singer Pink,
who actually offered to pay for their fines.
But they aren't the only athletes making news
for swapping outfits lately.
Germany's gymnastics team ditched the usual leotards
for full-body suits while competing this year,
including at the Tokyo Olympics.
(SPEAKS GERMAN)
TRANSLATOR: We just want a free decision
and everyone to be given the free possibility
to wear what they want.
It's not the first time there's been a discussion around
what women wear while playing sport.
In fact, this conversation goes way back.
For a really long time,
women playing sport wasn't very common.
In fact, it was discouraged.
But in the late 1800s some wealthier women were permitted
to participate in games such as lawn tennis.
Of course, their outfit had to be suitably feminine, modest,
and designed to attract a potential husband,
you know, as opposed to something
that would actually help them play the sport better.
Anyway, back to it.
Yes, corsets and full-length dresses
wouldn't have been the easiest thing to move around in.
Still, when women were allowed to compete,
they competed in all sorts of not-very-sporty outfits
and managed to make it work.
They even won Olympic medals in them.
But over the years, attitudes started to change
with the help of some brave trailblazers,
like French tennis legend Suzanne Lenglen,
who outraged many people
with this, um, scandalous outfit at Wimbledon in 1919.
Or even Serena Williams,
who caused a stir when she became the first person
to wear a bodysuit instead of a skirt
at the French Open in 2018.
Today, most sports uniforms are made for performance
and women have way more freedom,
but some sports still have different uniforms for men and women.
A lot of that comes down to tradition
and some are happy to keep things as they are,
but others say women should have more choice
to wear what they feel comfortable in.
And some say that should go not just for sporting legends,
but also for kids dreaming of one day being on the world stage.
Yes!
Having those options is the biggest thing for girls,
particularly in all ages of sport.
So, I wouldn't really want to play sport
if I had a skirt or, like, white pants
or maybe a tight top.
Just something that's well-fitting for not only yourself
but for everyone to feel confident and motivated to play sport in.