Team USA speed skater uniforms criticized for crotch patch

Team USA speed skater uniforms criticized for crotch patch

Team USA's speed skaters have an unfortunate design detail on their Winter Olympic uniforms that has most people doing a double take when the competitors take to the ice. 

The skintight uniforms are mostly just an average navy bodysuit with a spot of red and white - except of course for the unflattering light patch plastered across the entire crotch region.

While it is barely visible when the speed skaters are doubled over racing in Pyeongchang, the design detail is hard to miss when the competitors are standing upright on the ice

Unsurprisingly, the crotch patch has quickly infatuated Twitter users with many asking the same question: What on earth were the designers thinking? 

'Y'all I'm assuming there is a point to the way the speed skating uniforms are designed, but maaaan that's a weird place to put a light-colored circle,' one person tweeted.

Another wrote: 'Wait until you get a view from behind. Looks like they have a target on their cornhole.'

'So who designed the US speed skating uniforms? That crotch-highlighting look is a little tone-deaf,' another Twitter user wrote. 

It turns out the light colored patch does serve a purpose for Team USA skaters.

The uniforms were specially designed by Under Armour for the 2018 Winter Games.

The lighter material in between the skater's thighs is actually a slippery fabric that reduces friction by up to 65 percent when they are on the ice.

The contrasting material in the inner thigh (friction guards) has been commonplace for speedskate skins for decades, to reduce friction,' a spokesperson for Under Armour said.  

'The 2014 UA skin had one panel instead of two, but in testing the new skin, the addition of a second panel reduced friction even more - by 60 percent. 

'We tested a multitude of friction guard materials to find the material that reduces friction the most. 

'Altering the color or using a material that comes in a different color would have rendered it considerably less effective. 

'The athletes love the look of the skins and how they perform, and are getting compliments from other countries.'

Under Armour spent four years designing the uniform after a somewhat disastrous run in Sochi in 2014. 

The company were behind the 2014 uniforms too, which were ditched midway through the Games after being blamed for the team's poor performance.

Team USA failed to medal in speedskating in Russia for the first time in 30 years.  

So far in Pyeongchang, American John-Henry Krueger claimed a silver medal in the 1,000m final on Saturday.