Today more than ever, being a top athlete means a life in the limelight, with conduct, appearance and even opinions often scrutinized just as closely as performance on the field. For women in sport, this scrutiny can extend beyond that which would be applied to their male counterparts, requiring organizers, athletes, commentators and the media to reflect on what constitutes sexism.

After the Chinese women's basketball team's overtime loss by one point to Spain at the Olympic Games in Paris on July 28, commentator Yang Yi asked veteran player Chen Nan whether athletes on her team had worn makeup like players on the current team do today. His question was interpreted by some viewers as implying being distracted by cosmetics contributed to the team's loss.

Just one day later, sports commentator Bob Ballard was dropped by broadcaster Eurosport from its Paris Olympic programming after asserting on air the reason the Australian women's 4 × 100-meter freestyle relay team members were apparently late exiting the aquatic center was that they were doing their makeup.

The two incidents have sparked debate online about diversity and inclusiveness in sports.

Editorial (www.gmw.cn): There is no evidence female athletes wearing makeup negatively affects their performance. Suggesting there's a link between wearing makeup and poor performance implies that women must become undisputed champions in order to earn what is a natural right in other spheres.

When people watch sports, in addition to medals and trophies, they also want to see outstanding individuals. More and more female athletes are feeling confident to show their personality on the field and doing so is being well received by spectators and fans. The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are known as the most gender-equal ever, with the proportion of female athletes reaching 50 percent for the first time in Olympic history. This is not just a number, but hundreds of confident, individual and self-reliant women. So, what's the point of the innuendos made by these commentators?

Song Meilu (National Business Daily): It's generally believed that sporting competitions require athletes' absolute focus. However, athletes are now not only evaluated as competitors but also on their identities and personalities. Excellent performances by female athletes demonstrate that beauty and strength can go hand in hand.

Beauty brands are now not only sponsors of individual athletes but also of the Paris Games themselves, and the public's attention to beauty, clothing and accessories in sport is increasing. Many well-known athletes, such as Yang Qian, a Chinese shooter who won a gold medal in Tokyo Olympics, and Eileen Gu, a ski champion in multiple games, have endorsed beauty products. Chinese track and field athlete Wu Yanni often faces criticism for wearing makeup, which is seen as distracting. However, Wu has explained makeup boosts her confidence and allows her to present her best self to audiences.

Today, people's aesthetic views are becoming more diverse, and the powerful and confident beauty displayed by female athletes is emerging as a new aesthetic trend.

Copyedited by G.P. Wilson

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