Russia’s Winter Olympics have courted yet more controversy, this time subjecting female members of the national team to a bizarre lingerie shoot.
Some of the Russian team’s brightest stars feature in the images, scantily-clad in bras and underwear, some posing with their sporting equipment.
The pictures have gone viral on several Russian websites, which have caused outrage in the West by praising the women for having sexy figures instead of “masculine” ones.
“Russian sportswomen are the best campaigners for our team in Sochi,” one sports site wrote. “We sincerely support our team and believe that its strength is not only in sports achievements.
“Our Russian Olympic team defies stereotypes that women in sport are just a heap of muscles and masculine shapes.”
The Sochi Games have been beset by controversy, from terrorism threats and claims the facilities wouldn’t be ready in time, to the alleged culling of the city’s stray dogs and Russian president Vladimir Putin’s anti-homosexual laws.
Curler Ekaterina Galkina. © Olga Zhadova.
Curler Alexandra Saitova. © Vladimir Negotin.
Alexandra Saitova posed with a microphone, oddly. © Vladimir Negotin.
Ski-jumper Irina Avvakumova. © Prosports.ru
Irina Avvakumova. © Prosports.ru
Short track speed skater Tatiana Borodulina. © Natali Arefyeva.
Short track speed skater Tatiana Borodulina. © Natali Arefyeva.
Ice hockey player Svetlana Kolmykova. © Ekaterina Orlova.
Svetlana Kolmykova. © Ekaterina Orlova.
Figure skater Ekaterina Bobrova. © Sports.ru
Ekaterina Bobrova. © Sports.ru
Ice hockey goalie Anna Prugova. © Evophoto.
Anna Prugova
Freestyle skier Ekaterina Stolyarova. © Prosports.ru
Ekaterina Stolyarova. © Prosports.ru
Curler Olga Zyablikova.
Olga Zyablikova
Freestyle skier Maria Komissarov.
Luger Elena Nikitina.
Anna Sidorova, who competes in curling.
Anna Sidorova.
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