As Mike Plumb said, this isn't some bizarre rule that some prude at USAT came up with out of the blue. It is a rule in most countries (even ones where they allow nudity in transition), and comes out of respect for, and need to work with the local communities.

YEAH -- let's make women's tri more spectator friendly and have all women wear string bikini's !!!!

Running.

Stupid rule. Mike, I wonder if those same communities are complaining about people going shirtless in the local 5k? What about people just out running, playing basketball, or whatever without shirts on?

Don't know where you run, but I can't remember the last time I saw a road race or track meet with people running topless.

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Proud Founder of the Jamis Mafia- Daring to be different.

There are far more running races put on and no such rules apply. I wonder if it has something to do with the entire tri ensemble, the tightness of the outfit, etc...I think running split shorts show far more skin than tri shorts.

Stupid rule. Mike, I wonder if those same communities are complaining about people going shirtless in the local 5k? What about people just out running, playing basketball, or whatever without shirts on?
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Totally agreed..What century we are living in???May I ask why people are offended?Have they ever been to a swimming pool or a beach?Or they are offended to watch pro boxing or wrestling or swimming or beach volleyball.

If anybody is offended by a men without a shirt I think he or she has serious issues.

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I see obsessed people.

This is a rule at many if not all of the local races around me. I guess tat I can see the perspective of the 'sunday in the community' opinion, but really, Is a man in a speedo and a man bra any less offensive than the same man without the man bra?

I wear a top to compete, but mostly beause I don't deem myself in good enough shape to go w/o the shirt.

I don't know what the answer is. I just wish that it did not have to be a 'rule', ya know? (kinda like to have the option to shed the shirt befor the nips start to bleed - now that is offensive!)

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This is your life, and it's ending one minute at a time. - Fight Club
Industry Brat.

You're kidding me right? With the exception of a few cold winter races every 5k, 10k, 1/2 mary, etc..., I've ever done there are plenty of shirtless runners, particularly near the pointy end, but certainly not excluded to the FOP.

Of course I've done the vast majority of my racing in Texas and Socal...

Like going "Skins" vs. "Shirts"? We did it in high school, except the girls wouldn't play on the "skins" side for some reason.



I wonder if I could legally race wearing only pasties and a banana hammock.

I agree. Anyone that would look down on some guy running with no shirt, or some woman running in a sports bra does have issues.

I'd be willing to bet that those people see more provocative material on the television sets in thier own homes.

Could there be some jealousy towards semi-naked chisled-bodied triathletes? Usually the larger triathletes are not as likely to go topless. But if they did, I don't see what the big deal would be. We all see way worse stuff in movies, TV, and magazines on a dayly basis.

don't get me wrong, I think it is silly that some groups find it offensive that men are running around in races with no tops on, but comparing it to a running race is quite a bit different. Most of the running races I have been too where runners were not wearing a top, they had on some baggie running shorts, this compared to men running and riding around with nothing on but a Speedo. That's a little different. Look at the case of the Newport Triathlon. That race is in jeopardy right now. I don't know the exact reasons (the real reasons), but the city officials don't want to issue permits for the race. If it is because they don't want 500+ people running around their community topless, you can argue all you want about how stupid it is, but the bottom line is, no permits, no race.

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Mike Plumb, TriPower MultiSports
Professional Running, Cycling and Multisport Coaching, F.I.S.T. Certified
http://www.tripower.org

According to USATF:

Rule 143

ATHLETIC ATTIRE

1. In all events competitors must wear clothing that is clean, designed and worn so as not to be objectionable. The clothing must be made of a material that is not transparent even if wet. The competitors must not wear clothing that could impede the view of the judges. Athletes' vest should have the same color on the front and back. This rule shall be enforced by the Clerk of Course for track and road events and the Chief Judge of each field event.

2. In hot weather, an athlete competing in a long distance road run may compete without a top shirt. This ruling will be made by the Referee with the approval of the Games Committee.

So, it looks like it MAY be allowed in a long distance (I assume 1/2 or greater) event only if it is hot, and is at the discretion of the Referee. They also specifically mention not being objectionable, which would have to be judged (at least somewhat) by the local community standards.

Why can't you leave that decision up to the local RD? I live in a beach area, and the triathletes are far more covered than the people they're sharing the beach with. We also race in very hot and extremely humid conditions where many of us have discovered that, yes, it is possible to saturate drylite fabric with enough of your own sweat so that it no longer wicks properly, and to some degree ends up screwing up your body's ability to cool itself when it's already 92F on pavement at 8:30 in the morning.

No one said that women can't wear just a sports bra. It's that because a sports bra is pretty much the bare minimum that they can wear, so the loic is that men should have to wear something as well.

Why does USAT need the rule then? If an RD is having difficulty getting a permit because the powers that be don't want participants topless, then the RD can agree with them that he/she will require all participants to wear tops. No top, you're DQ'd. No need for a federation wide rule.

When someone goes to the beach or swimming pool, they can expect to see people half naked, and it takes their conscious decision to go. If grandma walks out to get her paper and sees 200 half naked triathletes running by, and peeing on her petunias, she gets offended and the race doesn't happen the next year.

The problem is that if it isn't a universal rule, then when someone gets DQ'd for not having a top at a local race that has the rule, they bitch and moan that they weren't told (even though it was in the race packet and announced before the race). This is/was a problem at some races in Ontario, where they have the rule, but get many (obnoxious) Americans.

So that there are uniform, pun intended, rules for all sanctioned triathlons...

I race primarily in north carolina and if its a non wetsuit swim race topless because i hate swimming with a shirtor singlet on and do not want to take the time in t1 or t2 to put one one.

On the USAT site it indicates if you have commentary about the proposed rule change contact them. Does anyone think contacting them will make any differance in the decision making process?

Secondly, why not make the males torso covered rule race specefic? If it offends neighborhoods or the RD thinks it increase the odds that the race permit will get approved then make it a race rule that male torsos remain covered similar to what IMNA used to do. But why impose this rule on all races?

Peace,

RF

When someone goes to the beach or swimming pool, they can expect to see people half naked, and it takes their conscious decision to go. If grandma walks out to get her paper and sees 200 half naked triathletes running by, and peeing on her petunias, she gets offended and the race doesn't happen the next year.
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Who said anything about peeing????People will pee regardless of having a shirt or not.Do not talk around the subject.

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I see obsessed people.

I've done several races that athletes were told prior to racing that shirts must be worn on the bike and run. However, you see those that weren't paying attention and raced shirtless anyway. And as far as I know, there was no consequence or penalty.

It's been a problem at IMNA races as well, where people claim they didn't know about the rule or didn't see it in the race packets...

I personally see the issue of communities not wanting races because it ties up the roads. The locals and merchants complain about the loss of foot traffic as people make their ways to their Starbucks, Piggly Wiggly, and Macy's. We had the BS all the time in the cycling races in Iowa. Plus, you got some serious bible thumper who really needs to hear their sermon that morning and how dare someone blastheme the day of the Sabbath. Plus, sometimes the local sheriff just wants to have a quiet morning to eat his donut in peace instead of standing around at some intersection for hours.

Sorry, I combined two points.

A person has to make the effort to go to the beach or pool and risk exposure to exposed people. It's a different story when it goes running by your house.

The rule is all about getting along with the communities that we depend on to hold races. Even though you think it is no big deal. There are people who will be offended. There are other issues, like people peeing in public, and traffic, that may make more sense, but I don't mind wearing a tri-top to make sure that the race will be around the next year.

"I don't mind wearing a tri-top to make sure that the race will be around the next year."

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For races in Michigan, I wouldn't mind either. In fact, I hereby solemnly swear to wear a top in my next race in Michigan.