Sporting events are not only remembered for intense and uncompromised battles for awards, records and victories. Sometimes bizarre wardrobe malfunctions make competitions unforgettable but not necessarily for the right reasons.
RT Sport recalls the most bizarre wardrobe malfunctions in sports history, reviewing embarrassing and even shocking episodes from competitions.
1. Ekaterina Rubleva (figure skating)
Russian ice dancer Ekaterina Rubleva made the headlines in 2009 when she accidentally exposed her breast at the European figure skating championship.
Rubleva and her partner Ivan Shefer were demonstrating their compulsory dance when the strain on the skater’s backless pink dress unexpectedly tore, baring her right breast.
The mishap, however, didn’t prevent the athletes from finishing the routine with Rubleva becoming the main newsmaker on that evening.
2. Gabriella Papadakis (figure skating)
A similar accident took place during the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang when a French ice-dancing duo Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron were left red-raced following the short dance.
The clasp at the neckline of the skater’s dress came off just several seconds into the pair’s short dance performance, meaning the couple spent the rest of the time concentrating on keeping the top from falling down, rather than pulling off the technical elements of their routine.
Despite Papadakis’ efforts to prevent further embarrassment, her left breast was exposed at the end of the program with millions of people watching the incident on live TV.
3. Gillian Cooke (bobsleigh)
British female bobsleigh rider Gillian Cooke accidentally split her pants during at the 2010 World Championships in Switzerland showing her cheeky side to the camera and becoming an internet sensation.
Cooke who was competing together with teammate Nicola Minichiello was getting ready to jump into her bobsleigh when her super-tight suit suddenly ripped allowing her G-string to take center stage in the competition.
The camera, placed behind the athlete, captured the most embarrassing moment of the entire championship.
4. Henrik Harlaut (freestyle skiing)
Swedish skier Henrik Harlaut came dangerously close to losing his pants while competing in a qualifying round at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
The athlete, who was 22 at the time, took a tumble causing his baggy pants to fall below his knees.
“I don’t think skiing with my ski pants so low is an issue,” he said after the competition.
“I’ve been skiing like this for 10 years now. It’s my style and has been for a while. I feel really comfortable.”
5. Colombian cycling team
The Colombian women’s cycling team were widely discussed in 2014 when they unveiled a bizarre looking uniform which was dubbed ‘naked’ by some fans.
The skin-colored cycling suits caused a stir on social media attracting criticism from the International Cycling Union (UCI) president Brian Cookson who called the outfit “unacceptable by any standard of decency.”
The UCI sent a letter to the Colombian Cycling Union reminding them of their responsibility for the kit design.
6. Christina Tsoukala (water polo)
Greek water polo swimmer Christina Tsoukala faced a serious wardrobe malfunction at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Tsoukala was fighting for a ball together with her Australian opponent Gemma Beadsworth, when the latter caught her swimsuit, revealing more than the Greek swimmer had intended to show.