Olympic rugby player shares powerful message about celebrating different body types

Celebrities and athletes often face judgment if they don't fit society's "ideal" body size or beauty standards. Ilona Maher, a member of the US women's rugby team, took to social media to address this issue, delivering a powerful message. She urged viewers to avoid criticizing or judging athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympics based on their appearance.

In a video shared on Instagram (@ilonamaher), she said, "As the Olympics officially start today, I want you all to take a look at all the different body types that are on display. All body types matter. All body types are worthy- from the smallest gymnast to the tallest volleyball player to a rugby to a shot putter and a sprinter." She then asked viewers to see themselves in these athletes. "All body types are beautiful and can do amazing things, so truly see yourself in these athletes and know that you can do it too," she expressed. She captioned the post, "There is a place for everyone in sport."

The video received over eight million views on the platform. People loved what Maher shared. @laurabiceps commented, "Absolutely love this message! There is no way of looking to be an Olympian, to be elite at your sport! Cannot wait to watch it all!" @annam_kerns wrote, "It's not often I find myself saying, 'This person is an incredible role model for my daughter, but you made the mark." @ergo.satis.sum expressed, "I think you're the new poster child of Team USA. Thank you so much for your positivity and for really giving people an insider's view of what you guys experience while you're at the Olympics outside of participating in your sport. Good luck to you and all the other competitors."

@sitskier123 added, "And the Paralympics even more so! Both games have bodies of all different shapes, sizes and abilities and every single one of them/us are incredible athletes competing at the highest level! Seriously love the message. Keep it up!" @type2.diabetes.nutrionist said, "Thank you for using your platform for this! You have a lot of power right now and your purpose is much deeper than being an Olympian (which sounds insane to say), but you're helping so many young girls. Keep it up."

While talking about celebrating different body types, in another video, Maher responded to a commenter who tried to body shame her. The comment read, "I bet that person has a 30% BMI." She started by saying that though the comment was written to "roast" her, it actually stated a fact. "I do have a BMI of 30. Well, 29.3 to be exact," she said. She then went on to say that someone should inform these bullies that BMI doesn't really measure how fit a person is. After this, she spoke about what she had learned from her dietician. "We talked about BMI. We talked about how it really isn't helpful for athletes. BMI doesn't tell you much. It just tells you what your height and weight are and what that equals," she explained.

She shared that she was 5'10" and weighed 200 pounds. She added that she had about 179 pounds of lean body mass and that the fat content in her body was actually low. She then said that BMI doesn't tell what she can do on the field or how fit she is. "It's just a couple of numbers put together. It doesn't tell you how much muscle I have or anything like that," she emphasized. "So yeah, I do have a BMI of 30. I am considered overweight. But alas, I'm going to the Olympics and you're not."

You can follow Ilona Maher (@ilonamaher) on Instagram for more sports-related content.