Team Brazil’s Olympic Uniforms Cause Controversy, Olympic Committee Responds: ‘It’s Not Fashion Week’

Team Brazil’s ceremonial uniforms for the 2024 Paris Olympics are the center of a debate that has taken over the South American country’s headlines in the past week. Created by fast-fashion retailer Riachuelo, the attire set received divided opinions from sports and fashion enthusiasts.

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The uniforms feature a striped shirt and an embroidered jacket. The color palette includes shades of green, blue and yellow, alluding to the Brazilian flag. The designs incorporate references to Brazilian biodiversity, featuring fauna and flora elements. Havaianas flip-flops complete the look.

The design was highly criticized on social media, with many questioning its casual appearance. Singer Anitta , one of the country’s most prominent celebrities, joined the discussion on Wednesday, leaving a comment on an Instagram account that shared photos of the uniform.

“I think the look represents exactly how athletes are treated in the country. No structure, no opportunities, undervalued,” Anitta wrote in Portuguese.

On Wednesday, Paulo Wanderley, the president of the Brazilian Olympic Committee, responded to the critics about the uniform during a press conference. “It’s not a fashion week in Paris, it’s the Olympics in Paris,” Wanderley said in Portuguese. “Everyone has a different taste. We approved [the uniform] with a lot of pride. If we had to approve it again, we would do it,” he added.

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One of the largest fashion retailers in Brazil with more than 300 stores across the country, Riachuelo said via a statement shared with SBT News that the company is always listening to its clients and is now focusing on supporting the Brazilian athletes during the Games.

Brazil will compete in 39 sports. Of the 277 qualified athletes, 55 percent are women, an 8 percent increase from the last edition of the Games in Tokyo. The Brazilian delegation includes artistic gymnast and Olympic gold medalist Rebeca Andrade, world skateboarding champion Rayssa Leal and world surfing champions Gabriel Medina and Filipe Toledo.

Team Brazil will join the 206 national Olympic committees traveling on nearly 100 boats along the Seine River during Friday’s opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. The parade will pass by famous Parisian landmarks such as Notre Dame, the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower.

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