Don’t expect to see Missy Franklin in a bikini anytime soon.
Nope, the 20-year-old swimming phenom, who is in line for marketing millions after recently turning pro, says racy promotions are for other female jocks — she’ll stick to the racing one-piece, thank you very much.
“They [her agents] know me and they know my values and at this point in my career that’s something I want to be extremely conscientious of. I just turned 20 years old. I’m very young,” Franklin said this week, according to USA Today. “In terms of coming off like that, I really don’t want to. That’s not really who I am and that’s not what I’m about.”
That came in response to a question Franklin was asked at the annual Association for Women in Sports Media convention, about offers that sexualize athletes.
Soccer star Alex Morgan is a veteran of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition, Ronda Rousey went nude for ESPN’s Body Issue, and golf’s Lexi Thompson just went topless on the cover of Golf Digest — just to name a few.
“Other athletes may feel differently and that’s OK; that’s the way they want to be portrayed,” said Franklin, who will be one of the faces of the 2016 Games after winning four gold medals in 2012. “Just because mine is different doesn’t make it any more wrong or any more right. But I think the important thing is having that constant group around me that will help me make the best decisions for me.”