American Olympic rugby medalist Ilona Maher makes support for president clear
Nobody appeared to have more fun at the Paris Olympics than American rugby sevens star Ilona Maher.
Maher went viral consistently on social media for her TikTok videos and dominated on the field as she helped lead the rugby sevens team to a bronze medal over Australia.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Ilona Maher, #2 of Team United States, runs with the ball whilst under pressure from Emma Uren, #7 of Team Great Britain, during the Women’s Rugby Sevens Quarter Final match between Team Great Britain and Team United States on day three of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on July 29, 2024 in Paris. (Michael Steele/Getty Images)
As her popularity grew, Maher was awarded with a photoshoot for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. The photos were released Wednesday showing her posing in a bathing suit with her bronze medal.
Maher, seemingly comfortable talking about anything, was also ready to make an official presidential endorsement.
“I think it’s going to be cool because there is an opportunity to have female representation and to change this country in a way that I think will benefit us,” she told SI. “… That’s a Kamala Harris endorsement.”
Maher told the outlet that abortion and contraception rights were among the issues important to her. Maher was born in Vermont.
SIMONE BILES BACKS JORDAN CHILES’ FIGHT TO RETAIN BRONZE MEDAL: ‘WE WANT THAT JUSTICE’
Ilona Maher, #2 of Team United States, celebrates following victory during the Women’s Rugby Sevens Bronze medal match between Team United States and Team Australia on day four of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on July 30, 2024 in Paris. (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
“I have enough money that if I didn’t need an abortion, I could raise a baby myself,” she added.
“If I wanted to get abortion, I could do that. So I have that privilege (but) it scares me about the other girls. I have options and I want to remember that, my followers don’t all have that. And so it’s like for me, but also mostly for them.”
Harris and Dems have criticized former President Donald Trump’s stance on abortion. Harris said in her DNC speech that he and “his allies would limit access to birth control, ban medication, abortion and enact a nationwide abortion ban with or without Congress.”
However, the Trump campaign has repeatedly affirmed that a future administration intends to leave abortion policy decisions to the states.
This intention to back off from the abortion issue following the overturn of Roe v. Wade is reflected in the official Republican Party platform published last month.
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign rally on Tuesday, July 30, 2024 in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
“We believe that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees that no person can be denied life or liberty without due process and that the states are, therefore, free to pass laws protecting those rights,” the draft reads.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
However, for the first time in 40 years, the document makes no mention of a federal abortion ban, which Trump has emphasized that he opposes.
Fox News’ Timothy Nerozzi contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
