Four nude women painted themselves to look like sport stars and posed for photographs on the red carpet alongside real athletes at the Women's Health I Support Women In Sports Awards in Sydney on Monday night.
The models were painted in different Australian sporting team uniforms, including a gymnastic leotard, a swimming costume, a netball dress and Cathy Freeman's iconic Sydney Olympics running suit.
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The decision has drawn criticism online with many saying the inclusion of the topless models distracted from the real sport stars and sexualised female athletes.
Danielle Warby, a board director at the Australian Womensport and Recreation Association, took to Twitter to express her outrage over the nude models.
'I'm not sure WHY I'm seeing nude women at an event to promote #WomenInSport. Please explain @womenshealthaus?' she tweeted.
'Sex sells sex. NOT women's sport.' The Women In Sport advocate told the Sydney Morning Herald she was baffled by the decision. 'The sexualisation of women in sport is a massive issue,' Ms Warby said.
'These women are not athletes, they are naked and I don't know why they are there.'
Gold medallist hurdler Sally Pearson was named the Sports Woman of the Year at the I Support Women In Sports Awards.
'I'm incredibly grateful and honoured to be collecting this award,' Pearson said in her acceptance speech.
'Take no shortcuts. Always train like you're number two so you can get to number one.'
Editor of Women's Health magazine Felicity Harley hasn't responded to questions from Daily Mail Australia about the inclusion of the topless models.
But at the awards ceremony, Ms Harley said: 'This night is all about giving recognition and telling the stories of Australian sports women, to who don't get enough coverage for their efforts and talents'.
'The Women's Health I Support Women In Sport awards was created as a platform to bring together and champion the successes of our country's female sporting greats, and the night is all about telling their stories.'
A number of celebrities including The Biggest Loser's Michelle Bridges, The Footy Show host Erin Molan and 2012 Miss Universe Australia Renae Ayris were also in attendance.
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