The U.S. women’s table-tennis team.Photo: Getty Images
Not very many people are going to watch table tennis at the Olympics in Beijing, which is weird because according to Reuters, China is “the country most obsessed with table tennis.” The International Table Tennis Federation blames the potential lack of interest on the sport’s “fusty image.” We love a good makeover, but the ITTF’s solution is terribly one-sided: They’re trying to encourage women players to wear short skirts and tighter shirts that emphasize their curves, kind of like regular tennis players. But they’re not telling men to do anything about their wardrobe. After Michael Phelps made such a splash, pun intended, in his little swimmy tights, why shouldn’t the ITTF encourage male Ping-Pongers to wear skintight bodysuits? Just picture in your head, for a moment, dudes playing table tennis in what look like ballet costumes. Wouldn’t you watch for the sheer silliness of it all?
Table Tennis-Women urged to wear shirts with “curves” [Yahoo Sports via Jezebel]
