They talked about Paris 2024 being the hottest Olympics on record, but no one said it had anything to do with men's swimwear.
A Dutch swimmer became famous overnight among those who tended after leaving the pool with the rare trunks, seen since Mardi Gras in February.
In a clear decision by the public relations team, Holland opted for the most flesh-colored orange on the thigh. The optical illusion almost makes it look like the swimmer is naked.
So when 28-year-old Arno Kamminga's tight figure graced the pool, he became an instant social media celebrity.
“Really watching sports,” one person wrote under the post.
“Name???” another wrote
“IN PEOPLE? Is that legal?” said another.
Remember, folks, the Olympics aren't just about gold medals. There's also building a social media following so you can sustain yourself after the novelty of being an athlete wears off.
All joking aside, Kamminga opened up to the press about the bigger issue of building the game.
Kamminga described the case of the 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for banned drugs as a “lose-lose situation” and questioned how the investigation was handled.
“Everybody is questioning it, so it's a lose-lose situation for everybody – for the swimmers but also for the Chinese swimmers. I think it's hard to judge or say anything without knowing everything,” Kamminga said via Reuters.
“The problem is how it was handled. For them to just cover it up, not say anything and not be upfront and transparent with us, I think that's where the problem lies for most people.
“I don't know if they are good or not. I can't say anything about it. I hope we can trust WADA that the conclusion is correct… I'm just disappointed in the way it was handled.”
Kamminga said he wasn't sure if he would shake Chinese swimmer Qin Haiyang's hand if he beat him to gold.
“I'll see how it goes. I will see how the people will react on the field,” said Kamminga.
“Obviously, it's a bit difficult. I've been training my whole life for this, I've made a lot of sacrifices in life. I just want it to be a level playing field.
“I want to be equal to everyone and I hope he is the same. And when he gets a fair game, I will congratulate him because I was beaten senseless. But yes, the situation is difficult.”
