What You May See Less of at London Olympics: Bikinis

If you only watch beach volleyball for the bikini-clad eye candy, the London Olympics may not be quite as exciting as you hoped. Under new rules adopted by the International Volleyball Federation, players will be free to wear shorts and sleeved tops. The governing body said the move was made out of respect for the cultural beliefs of some of the dozens of countries still in contention to qualify for the games. The federation has not specified which countries lobbied to be allowed to cover up in London.

The modified rule permits "shorts of a maximum length of (1.18 inches) above the knee, and sleeved or sleeveless tops." Bikinis have been part of the wardrobe since beach volleyball became an Olympic medal event at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Players have typically opted to wear body suits in cold weather. (More bikini stories.)