Swimming Australia officials are furious after conservative activist group Advance plastered images of their Olympic stars across billboards in a campaign against transgender sport inclusion.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Wollongong-raised Olympic legend Emma McKeon features in Advance's campaign, alongside the slogan "Women's Sport is Not for Men".
Sporting icon Dawn Fraser and decorated Olympic backstroker Emily Seebohm also appeared on the mobile billboard.
McKeon, Fraser and Seebohm all made comments last week questioning elements of the debate, but none were consulted by Advance, and Swimming Australia did not give the group permission to use images of the athletes.
At a Griffith University event last week, McKeon, who was nominated for the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year, said rules allowing transgender athletes to compete need to be "fair".
She said she does not expect that she will compete against a transitioned swimmer, and she "would not want to be racing against someone who is biologically a male".
Despite contributing to the debate, none of the swimmers are aligned with Advance, who have claimed in the past that COVID-19 numbers are botched by bureaucrats and the coral bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef is "natural".
Advance also used the billboard to take aim at member for Warringah Zali Steggall, depicting her in black and white opposite the swimmers with a speech bubble proclaiming "that's transphopic".
Swimming Australia executive Eugenie Buckley said its lawyers had already demanded the billboard be removed.
"Swimming Australia strongly condemns the use of imagery of our athletes, past and present, by the Advance Australia party in recent political advertising," Buckley said.
"Consent to use the imagery was never sought prior to its publication, neither from Swimming Australia nor the individuals involved. For clarity, if it was sought it, would have been categorically denied.
"Swimming Australia does not endorse this, or any message, from the Advance Australia party. Swimming Australia has issued a legal notice to the Advance Australia party and expects the imagery to be removed from circulation immediately.
"Swimming Australia believes in a competitive environment that is inclusive, fair and equitable for all athletes at the same time. Ultimately, all Australians deserve to feel welcome, safe, valued and celebrated in swimming."
The Illawarra Mercury newsroom is funded by our readers. You can subscribe to support our journalism here.