Serena Williams made her Super Bowl entry once more, but this time on the screens rather than on the stage like last year. The tennis legend appeared in an ad for the healthcare company RO, which was unsurprising given that her husband, Alexis Ohanian, is on the company’s board.
Serena Williams Attracts Controversy by Doing an Ad for Weight-Loss Medication at Super Bowl
Serena Williams was seen endorsing weight-loss medication in an ad that was aired during the Super Bowl. This comes after Williams openly admitted that she had used GLP-1 medication to reduce her weight in an interview last year.
Talking about the use of such medication, Williams admitted that she had taken it primarily to counter the various issues she was facing after having two children. She emphasised that “how she looked” did not influence her decision.
“I’ve never felt that pressure to maintain a certain appearance… I always felt comfortable at any size, whether I was a lot heavier or not. I do feel like my body didn’t like me at that weight. I had pain in my joints and pain in different areas just because of the extra weight that I’m not used to carrying since I had children,” said Williams.
However, even back then, her decision to endorse weight-reducing medication had attracted criticism from celebrities like Jameela Jamil, who stated that Williams was speaking from a privileged position and had access to the necessary guidelines to avoid the side effects of the medication.
More: Serena Williams’ Weight Loss Drugs Promotion Receives Sharp Criticism From Actress Jameela Jamil in a Strongly Worded Letter
This time around at the Super Bowl, Williams endorsed the weight-reducing medication and programmes launched by RO in her capacity as a spokesperson for the company, a role she assumed last year. Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, is an independent board member of the company, having been part of it since 2018.
Williams’ decision has drawn criticism once again, as people on social media have criticized the American legend for pushing the case for such sensitive medication. The Super Bowl Ads are primetime television spots in America, and that has added fuel to the fire in this controversy.
Williams was already in the headlines as speculation about a possible comeback continues. The 23-time Grand Slam champion had finished her career in 2022, but in a unique turn of events, she once again enrolled herself in the pool for drug testing, a move that could potentially signal her comeback.