KarunaNews Story

Mattel announced a team of four new Barbie dolls modeled after professional rugby players Ilona Maher, Ellie Kildunne, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, and Nasirra Konde. Ilona Maher, who skyrocketed to fame as an Olympian rugby player, became a social media star posting behind-the-scenes content as an athlete and continuing to champion body positivity on “Dancing With The Stars.” Seeing herself depicted in the iconic Barbie doll form means a lot. “Being part of Team Barbie is about showing girls that confidence isn’t something to shy away from, but something to own,” she said. “I’m honored to use my platform to empower the next generation to find that spark of confidence within themselves and let it drive them toward unlocking their limitless possibilities.” Along with the new campaign, Mattel will make a donation to girls’ sports organizations in the four countries of the Team Barbie athletes “to fund programming focused on unlocking girls’ confidence.”