German gymnasts wore full-length bodysuits ahead of the Olympics in a stance against the sexualization of the sport

• Germany's Olympic gymnastic team debuted full-length bodysuits during podium training on Thursday.
• The unitards have previously been worn in a stance against the sexualization of gymnasts.
• Gymnast Sarah Voss said she hoped she could be a role model for younger athletes in the sport.

Germany's Olympic gymnastic team debuted full-length bodysuit uniforms, previously described as a stance against the sexualization of the sport, during an Olympic training session in Tokyo.

On Thursday, the German gymnast Sarah Voss shared a series of photos on Instagram with her Olympic team members Elisabeth Seitz, Kim Bui, and Pauline Schaefer. They were all wearing bright pink and black bodysuits that reached their ankles.

In the caption of the post, Voss said her team got a feel for the competition, which officially began Friday, during its podium training and was able to introduce itself to the judges. They will compete in their first event Sunday, The Independent reports.

Voss, Bui, and Seitz wore similar full-length bodysuits while competing at the European Championships in Basel, Switzerland, in April. The International Gymnastics Federation allows competitors to wear unitards, though they had previously been chosen by athletes for religious reasons.

According to the BBC, the German federation issued a statement after its gymnasts' appearance at the European Championships, explaining the decision to not wear more commonly used leotards was a choice among their athletes to take a stance against sexualization in gymnastics.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's "Naga Munchetty" show on April 28, Voss said full-length bodysuits could help gymnasts feel more comfortable, both in competition and during practice.

"To do splits and jumps, sometimes the leotards are not covering everything, sometimes they slip and that's why we invented a new form of leotard so that everyone feels safe around competitions and training," she said.

"Every time you don't feel safe it's distracting you from what you want to perform," she added. "I think that feeling safe and not thinking about what other people can or cannot see is quite relieving when you can compete like that."

In the same interview, Voss also expressed hope she could become a "role model" for younger women looking for ways to feel more comfortable continuing a career in gymnastics.

"Some girls quit this beautiful sport, so that is why this is a great option for everyone to stay in the sport they love and don't think about anything else about their body - just about their performance," she concluded.

Representatives for the Olympic Committee and the German Olympic Sports Confederation did not immediately respond to requests for comment.