Sports Illustrated has hit a mogul among critics with its Winter Olympics preview issue.
The magazine's cover displays U.S. women's skier Lindsey Vonn in the tuck position, a typical pose for an alpine skier. However, critics argue the cover focuses less on Vonn’s Olympic talents and more on her world-class looks.
Women in sports expert Nicole M. LaVoi believes Vonn's looks mean we will be seeing a lot of the skier in Vancouver — and not just because of what she does on the slopes.
"Vonn is first a GREAT athlete, but she also represents norm of feminine attractiveness," LaVoi wrote in a blog post. "The combination of athleticism and attractiveness make Vonn the likely poster girl of the US Olympic Team, and the media hasn’t disappointed in constructed her as such."
Sports Illustrated has used professional skiers in similar covers in the past. A 1992 Sports Illustrated cover displays World Cup skier A.J. Kitt in a similar pose.
