I was surprised that bikini bottoms was a rule,  given how things've changed in recent years.

The way the world's moved on from that 'sleazy older white blokes maintaining rules that are steeped in how things were when they were young' thing.  I'd've thought that would have gone one or maybe two decades ago.  But of course its sport - so run by old folks who do live in the past and can resist change cos they're the grands fromages in their particular world and, each sport being a narrow little thing, there aren't others around to challenge them.

Like all sport, TV viewing demands and money ruin the purity of whatever event or league becomes dependent on said TV money.  The bikini bottoms were a big 'coup' to womens' beach volleyball viewership so many other sports followed.  Germany's female gymnasts did the same, wearing a singlet-style uniform instead of the crotch riders many gymnasts are forced to wear.

Honestly, I've been done with the Olympics for a while - much like FIFA sanctioned events.  The greed and horrid stories of organizers' despicable actions in Brazil, Russia, and many others (Qatar for 2022 as well) just makes it unpalatable to watch at all.  Then you add in stories of women being forced to wear uncomfortable and inappropriate 'unis' just for gawking viewers and there's just no joy in Mudville. Haven't watched a single second of this Olympics, same as the last 3.