Paris Olympics 2024: Malaysia agrees to redesign official kit after widespread ridicule

Officials announced they ‘decided to improve the existing design’ after it was bashed as ‘ugly’ and ‘embarrassing’ by many on social media

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Mannequins displaying the attire for Malaysia’s athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games during an event in Kuala Lumpur on June 23. Photo: AFP

Published: 10:00am, 28 Jun 2024Updated: 8:04am, 29 Jun 2024

Malaysian officials agreed Friday to redesign some of the country’s kit for next month’s Paris Olympics after the outfits were widely panned as “cheap-looking” and “embarrassing”.

Chef de mission Hamidin Mohamad Amin said they have “decided to improve the existing design”.

“After taking into consideration and feedback from all parties, including the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the National Sports Council and national sports fans, the Olympic council acknowledges that the design of the official jacket was not well received,” he said.

Designers and a former Olympian joined the cacophony of social media criticism that greeted the country’s official kit after it was first unveiled, with many expressing dismay at the “ugly” designs and others rating the collection as adequate for a school “sports day” but not the greatest show on earth.

Hamidin Mohd Amin (right), the Chef de Mission of the Malaysian contingent, with Malaysian badminton player Goh Jin Wei. Photo: Facebook/Olympic Council of Malaysia

The Southeast Asian nation first unveiled its Olympics outfits on Sunday with the Yonex Sunrise Malaysia-designed black and gold theme – inspired by tiger stripes – intended to symbolise the nation’s pursuit of an elusive first Olympic gold medal.