Dharm Makwana

A local model at the centre of a storm over sexy pics to promote Vancouver's soon-to-debut soccer team is baffled by the controversy.

Images of a body-painted Andrea Stefancikova began popping up in newspaper advertisements and on billboards to promote the Vancouver Whitecaps FC home opener Saturday, the team's MLS debut. An accompanying YouTube video detailing the photo shoot was released shortly after.

QMI received a letter from community advocate Sandy Garossino who said the campaign was an insult to women and sport.

"I understand people can agree or disagree, but every photo [or] advertisement or painting [or] artistic creation has to evoke some emotions," Stefancikova said. "That is the whole purpose.

"And I think it looks great - the fact that it is a bit racy is good because it's different and definitely very eye-catching."

Free Kick magazine owner, Carrie Serwetnyk, said she would have published the photo on the front cover of her monthly.

"I don't think women should be used as sex symbols in society, however, I like the idea - a European twist on things of integrating other parts of culture and life into soccer. I think that's missing here," said the former national team member.

"We're stuck in soccer being a grassroots sport, where we're just running off to have a coffee and donut after watching a kids game. I'd like to see it elevated."

Whitecaps marketing director Kim Jackman said the team worked hard to ensure the image was appropriate.

"You could look in a Bay catalogue and I think you'd find some more exposed models, frankly," she said.

SFU marketing professor Lindsay Meredith gave the 'Caps a red card for the campaign.

"You could be offending somebody and losing the sale of three or four tickets to a family in the process of trying to attract one 20- or 30-something fan," he said.