Two centimetres separated Ancy Sojan from gold at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan. The Kerala long jumper took silver with 6.53m, yet much of the conversation online turned to her braids, beads, ribbons, makeup and jewellery. Some commenters also suggested her appearance had cost her the title.
Sojan was unmoved. “Let them troll because they do not have this award and don’t know the value of this medal and how much I worked hard for it. Their trolling is never gonna be make me lose these (clips). I will continue this as this is my confidence,” she told PTI.
The 25-year-old national record holder is hardly the only athlete whose personal style has become part of her public identity. Yet, when athletes depart from expectations of how a sportsperson should look, their appearance can eclipse the result. Image coaches say the criticism rests on a false choice between discipline and self-expression.
What athletes said earlier
American figure skater Alysa Liu wears striped, halo-like hair and a gumline piercing. Explaining the hair’s inspiration, she had told a publication, “You know how trees have rings for their age? I thought every year, I’m gonna add a new halo around my hair.”
{{/usCountry}}American figure skater Alysa Liu wears striped, halo-like hair and a gumline piercing. Explaining the hair’s inspiration, she had told a publication, “You know how trees have rings for their age? I thought every year, I’m gonna add a new halo around my hair.”
{{/usCountry}}Tennis great Serena Williams made elaborate manicures a signature; in 2010, she enrolled in a 240-hour nail technician course in Florida.
Sprinter Noah Lyles has embraced colourful nails and statement hair, from silver dye inspired by Dragon Ball Z’s Goku in 2019 to pearl-adorned cornrows at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Some critics even claimed his accessories might slow him down. His 100m gold there showed that an expressive look and elite performance can coexist.
Sporting uniforms may be standardised, but these athletes have found visible ways to be themselves.
Fashion beyond the field
For athletes, style is a way to communicate an identity beyond results. “Fashion gives athletes an opportunity to say, ‘This is who I am beyond my sport’,” says image consultant Nupur Mehta Kapoor. Hair, nails and accessories may reflect culture, creativity or a personal brand, and become familiar parts of a pre-competition routine. She explains, “They have limited control over how the public reacts to their performance or what people say about them. But they can choose how they present themselves.”
For some, that sense of familiarity can be particularly important before stepping into competition. “Sometimes, simply feeling like yourself can be powerful,” she adds. “When you feel comfortable and confident in your own skin, it can influence how you carry yourself.”
Why personal style invites public scrutiny
Why does a medal-winning athlete’s appearance still invite criticism? Image and communication skills trainer Shivani Sharma says people carry a fixed idea of what an athlete should look like. “Usually we create a mental image about someone, and if it doesn’t fit, we feel uncomfortable as it doesn’t match the image we have. Social media makes this much louder,” she says. Women, she adds, are expected to look feminine but not “glamorous”.
“People are entitled to have an opinion, but there is a difference between having an opinion and policing someone’s appearance,” Sharma says.