Olympic athlete Ilona Maher is speaking out against those who have recently commented on her appearance, particularly those suggesting she “looks pregnant” in her fitted clothing.

In a TikTok video shared on Saturday, January 10, Maher, 29, addressed a negative comment from a man on her photo, where he remarked about her appearance in a dress. Although he later deleted his comment, Maher seized the opportunity to respond with a powerful message. “To him, I say, that’s just a normal woman’s body,” she stated while proudly displaying a form-fitting orange dress that highlighted her physique. “You probably haven’t seen a woman naked in a long time, if ever, and I hope you never get the privilege to again.”

She continued, emphasizing the naturalness of her body. “Because that’s just how we are, OK? That’s just what we’re working with. Me? A professional athlete. I always have this. It’s just part of me — I’m sucking it in right now and I have it. So please, please, stop commenting the dumbest stuff,” she urged, addressing the broader issue of body shaming.

Ilona Maher is not only known for her prowess on the rugby field but also for her candid and witty presence online. At 27, Maher began her rugby journey in high school, quickly rising through the ranks as a standout collegiate athlete. Her exceptional skills caught the eye of coaches Richie Walker and Emilie Bydwell, who brought her into the fold of high-level competition.

Mike Coppola/Getty Images Olympian Ilona Maher has made an impression for her rugby talent and for her hot takes online. Maher, 27, started playing rugby in high school before making a name for herself as a collegiate athlete. She eventually caught the attention of coaches Richie Walker and Emilie Bydwell, who chose her to join […]

Maher, who helped the U.S. women’s rugby sevens team win bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics — the country’s first Olympic medal in rugby sevens — is no stranger to people making unwarranted, unwanted and unnecessary comments about her body and overall look.

“I was always like, you know, called masculine or whatever,” Maher told Sports Illustrated in her 2024 cover story. “But I never felt that way. But I don’t think you’re going to bully the girl who could probably beat you up in a rage. I love that [rugby] showed me what I can do. It showed me how capable my body is and it’s not just, like, a tool to be looked at and objectified.”

Maher further opened up exclusively to Us Weekly about her view on body positivity amid a sea of online trolls, explaining how she continues to view her body and what it can — and does — do for her.

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“[It’s] realizing what your body does for you and giving it the tools it needs to continue doing that,” the rugby player exclusively told Us earlier this month. “You’re not going to love your body all the time. [But] for a lot of us, that’s the size we’re supposed to be, and I think we have to come to terms with that.”

Charlotte H. Market, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Rutgers University and author of The Body Image book, broke down for Us just what Maher’s body positive viewpoint means for fans and fellow young female athletes alike.

Sports Illustrated/Ben Watts Ilona Maher was a sexy sight to see while posing on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. The Olympian, 28, graced Us with her steamy photoshoot while appearing on SI Swimsuit’s digital September issue, empowered by Maybelline, on Wednesday, August 28. Photographed by Ben Watts on Fire Island, New York, Maher showed […]

“Maher doesn’t try to fit into the beauty ideals that many of us feel beholden to,” Markey told Us earlier this month. “Her pride in her strength is wonderful to see. We need more messengers that say, ‘F what is expected of me as a woman! I am strong and tough and don’t need to fit the mold.’ The more people who say this, the easier it will be for us to believe.”

Lexie Kite, Ph.D. and coauthor of More Than a Body: Your Body Is an Instrument, Not an Ornament, agreed, telling Us earlier this month, “Seeing women be powerful and strong and break free from the notion that we exist to be looked at is life-giving!”