Thaindian News

By Madhuri Dey
Feb 5, (THAINDIAN NEWS) The cover of the latest issue of the “Sports Illustrated” magazine, featuring skier Lindsey Vonn, has created ripples of controversy. The latest issue of the magazine is the Olympic Preview special, and Lindsey Vonn seems to be the fitting cover girl for this one, given that she is being considered one of the hottest athletes to watch out for in this year’s Winter Olympics. In fact, the “Sports Illustrated Olympic Preview” issue, showing Lindsey Vonn in her skiing attire, in a racing pose, comes with the tag line “America’s Best Woman Skier Ever.”

Surprisingly, the statement has not created any controversy. Of course, it could not have, considering that Lindsey Vonn is the first woman skier from the United States to have won two consequent World Cup Championships, overall. The controversy has arisen from fact that the magazine features Lindsey Vonn in a rather racy portrayal. This brings us to the age old debate: that magazine covers of women athletes always focus on their sexiness, rather than on their athleticism.

It is being said by those who have raised their eyebrows at the cover of the magazine that the picture is a sexist and provocative one, as it highlights more the beauty of the athlete than her prowess as a skier. Of course, the claims have been outright refuted by those in favor of the cover, with claims that not every cover of the “Sports Illustrated” magazine featuring women is racy or provocative, but rather active. It is also being argued that it is the job of the photographer to bring out what is most noticeable in the photograph, in Lindsey Vonn’s case, her beauty.