AN organisation that promotes awareness around violence against women have blasted Ayr United for their body paint promotion of their new kit.

The sponsorship photo shoot sees a topless woman with body paint sprayed of the Ayr club’s 2019/20 strip.

Manager of South Ayrshire Women’s Aid Hazel Bingham is let down by the promotion which she says has no place in sport. Hazel told the Ayr Advertiser: “To be honest I feel quite disappointed that they have chosen to promote their team in this manner.

I don’t think it is acceptable the way this image is portrayed, the use of body paint and the way the model is posing. I don’t Women’s Aid blast portrayal of females in footie body paint promo think there’s a need for these kinds of sexualised images in sport. “It is good to see the way women’s football is being promoted more and more now; I don’t think they would welcome these types of images either. They have been very supportive in our campaigns before.

They got involved with the 16 days of action campaign and have promoted the White Ribbon campaign, urging men to never commit or condone violence against women.”

Ayr United have fought back saying that the promotion is nothing to do with them and is ran by their sponsors Bitcoin SV under the same company as previous sponsors, Bodog.

Ayr United chairman Lachlan Cameron said: “It’s got nothing to do with Ayr United it’s ran by our sponsors Bitcoin SV. I’ve not seen it but it’s been it’s been taken over by Bodog.

“You could put an Ayr United badge on a sweatshirt and throw eggs at the Prime Minister that doesn’t mean it’s anything to do with Ayr United.

“Our sponsors are very good to us. We got great benefit from Bodog from them sponsoring us previously and then obviouslyour sponsors get attention from this “People are entitled to their opinion. I can understand that some people find it offensive. But that opinion can be over blown and this isn’t really a big deal.

“The first time we did it was around 10 years ago and we were part of that. Bodog came to Somerset Park, but we were uncomfortable being part of it so we disengaged from it.

“That’s the one and only time that we’ve been involved in it, since then.”

Calvin Ayre, owner of Bitcoin SV and a huge supporter of Ayr United commented: “We have used both a male and female model in our recent photoshoots which garner international coverage for the club – it is very obviously light-hearted and fun. To read anything more into it is simply a waste of time.”