Olympic Bodies

The bodies of the Olympic athletes are a hot topic right now, and the USWNT is no exception. Those that compete at the Olympics are at the peak of their physical fitness and it shows. All of their hard works pays off hopefully with a medal, but also with their toned bodies. The media has covered this topic with tones of admiration and titillation. Here is a breakdown of the coverage:



Dominique Dawes, a member of the 1996 women's gymnastic team that won gold, interviewed Alex Morgan and Abby Wambach as part of her Physique with Dominique series. The questions focused on how they keep their bodies in shape and exercises that are used to tone certain areas needed for soccer. This interview was very appropriate. It did not divulge into physical beauty, but maintained an outlook of the body as a means for sport.

Wambach participated in the ESPN the Magazine Body Issue, which was released in July 2012. She joins teammates, Hope Solo and Alex Morgan, in posing nude for magazines. Solo took part in the 2011 edition of ESPN the Magazine Body Issue, while Morgan donned body paint for the 2012 Sports Illustarted Swimsuit Issue. These forms of media are more provocative simply because they are nude images. They stray to the titillating territory, but are fairly tame and are not sensationalized.

Wambach and Solo represent strong female athletes in ESPN the Magazine. They did not reveal too much, but showed off the muscles they've worked throughout their careers to build. It is good to see the female body portrayed in this way and ESPN the Magazine has done a great to not objectify female athletes in the Body Issues. The male athletes are depicted in the same way. The posses they are in are powerful and show that women are serious athletes. These bodies are the new ideal, not the model-skinny that is unhealthy.

Morgan was photographed in body paint in the form of a swimsuit for Sports Illustrated. These photographs are less athletic and more sexualized than Wambach's and Solo's. Morgan is not in powerful stances, but she is also not in overtly sexual or revealing posses. The shoot was done tastefully, but with a different intent than the Body Issue. Morgan is hot right now, in terms of public appeal and physical appeal. The Swimsuit Issue capitalized on the interest she has garnered. 


Several media outlets have composed "Hot" lists for the London Games that feature USWNT players. ESPNW had a bracket of sorts for hottest Olympic body, in which fans could vote for their favorite. Wambach was ousted in the first round by all-around gold medal gymnast Nastia Liukin in the first round, while Morgan was voted the champion. Ryan Lochte was the winner in the men's bracket. E Online compiled a list of the Hottest Olympic Bodies, Morgan and Wambach made the cut. Morgan and Solo are on Shape Magazine's list of Top 20 Sexiest Athletes at the 2012 Olympics. Bleacher Report compiled a list of 100 Hottest Female Olympians of 2012 and Morgan is the second hottest. Lauren Cheney, Amy Rodriguez, Heather Mitts, Hope Solo, and Sydney Leroux are also on the list. I'm not a fan of these lists because I do not like the idea of comparing the physical appearance of one female or male athlete to another. This is objectifying athletes. I do not see tastefully posing nude as objectification because the athlete consents to the photos, while they do not consent to the lists. Also, they are not being ranked and compared by their hotness in the photographs.

Bleacher Report 100 Hottest Female Olympians of 2012
Shape Magazine Top 20 Sexiest Athletes at 2012 Olympics 
E! Hottest Bodies in London
ESPNW Body Edition Winners

Photo Credit: ESPN the Magazine; Sports Illustrated