An advert published in Sun's Page 3 about their fantasy football completion has been banned and branded "sexist and demeaning", after they offered a date with a Page 3 girl as a prize.
The promotion had offered subscribers, who recruited 10 or more players to their fantasy football league, a chance to win a date, the Guardian reported.
More than 1,000 complaints were received by the advertising regulator about the email promotion, which was sent to subscribers to the Sun's Dream Team fantasy football competition, saying that the offer of a date was sexist, demeaning, offensive and objectified women.
The promotional email said that they might even let people pick which girl they want to date, so they should feel free to start the research now.
The Advertising Standards Authority agreed, upheld the complaints and banned the promotion being run again and said that in the context of the ad, we considered that to offer a date with a woman as a reward for success in the game was demeaning to women and objectified those offered as prizes.
They also said that the wording "we might even let you pick which one, so feel free to start your research now" further enhanced the impression that the women were simply objects to be selected at the whim and enjoyment of the winner, and had no choice in the matter themselves.
Fantasy football (or fantasy soccer) is a game in which participants assemble an imaginary team of real life footballers and score points based on those players' actual statistical performance or their perceived contribution on the field of play.