Venus Williams and other female athletes honoured with Barbie dolls ahead of Paris Olympics

Mattel, the toy maker behind Barbie, has unveiled a new collection of dolls honouring nine female athletes, including tennis legend Venus Williams and Australian soccer player Mary Fowler. This initiative aims to spotlight women in sports and inspire the next generation of girls ahead of the Paris Olympics.

Each Barbie doll is designed with bespoke accessories representing the athlete's sport. For example, Fowler's doll wears gloves and holds a football, while Williams' doll dons a white tennis dress, visor, earrings, and carries a miniature racket.

Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, expressed her hope that the doll will motivate young girls to participate in sports. "I literally can’t imagine my life without sports and without the game," she said in a video, holding the doll. "I want other young girls to have that invaluable experience of playing a sport and what it teaches you."

The collection also features dolls modelled after French boxer Estelle Mossely, Polish sprinter Ewa Swoboda, Spanish doctor and paratriathlete Susana Rodriguez, Italian former swimmer Federica Pellegrini, Canadian soccer player Christine Sinclair, and Mexican and Brazilian gymnasts Alexa Moreno and Rebeca Andrade.

"By shining a light on these inspirational athletes and their stories, we hope to champion the belief that every young girl deserves the opportunity to pursue her passions and turn her dreams into reality," said Krista Berger, senior vice president of Barbie and Mattel's Global Head of Dolls.

The release of these dolls coincides with Barbie's 65th anniversary and recognizes the impact of sports in fostering self-confidence and ambition among young people.