1 August 2021

When I was 11, I was quite good at the high jump (scissor style) until, for no reason, I suddenly became frightened of the landing. I couldn’t compete after that, so understand the feelings of that US gymnast. But I’ve always been fascinated by how different body shapes do well in certain events. The thin Ethiopians, for example, always perform well at long-distance running whilst the Jamaicans excel at the 100m.  When I worked at a university, a physiologist showed me how ‘fast-twitch’ muscles are always best suited for sprinting or strength sports. Do black athletes who have this type of muscle, then, have an unfair advantage? Similarly, should very tall basket ball players be disqualified, or Caucasian swimmers penalised with their more wiry body physiques? Where do you draw the line? But my biggest gripe is the female gymnast/beach ball/athletics outfits. One long-jumper, after the event, was quietly advised to wear longer shorts because of inadvertent indecent exposure. Alarmingly, instead of thanking the female judge, she lodged a formal complaint! No excuse why they can’t follow the lead of the female swimmers and footballers, whose outfits are similar to those of the males. No need to do the high jump looking like a pole dancer!