[Will Hunt]

Is anybody else finding this all a bit distasteful? These ladies are monsters and the absolute pinnacle of British female sporting endeavor. It has taken years of dedication, pain, and suffering to achieve the standard that they have. Isn't that enough without them having to strip? I know that the other side of this coin is that we had the 60s and now women should be able to demonstrate their sexuality without any fuddy duddies shaking their heads and tutting, but come on. Victoria Pendleton in fish nets? Really? To me it just seems like a ego bandage to men along the lines of: "Yes, she may be physically superior to you but don't let that worry you. She's got a cracking set of tits and I bet she goes like the clappers".

Does anybody have a view on this?

It has already occurred to me that this might conflict with DFBWGC but I think they are two different things entirely. DFBWGC isn't about sex and is more about girls who are primarily rock climbing and, secondly, happen to be of a comely nature. These photo shoots seem to be about presenting ladies as objects of sexual desire and nothing else.

[chris j]

Victoria Pendleton in fish nets?

Do you have a link?!   

[robertostallioni]

Yes, but would you, Will?

[nik at work]

Or would you Will?

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

She's only raising her profile using all opportunities presented to her. Personally I find her branded range of non-sports women's bikes at Halfords far more embarrassing/troubling.

[erm, sam]

I do find it tedious also....

[namnok]

Does it only bother you that she's wearing fishnets in a seductive pose?

what about when romero was butt naked riding that bike prior to the 2008 Beijing Olympics?

[Serpico]

She's only raising her profile

That's not the only thing she's raising...

[andyd]

Good on her if that's what she wants to do. I can't imagine she'd be taken advantage of by anyone.

[LucyB]

It does detract from the fact that they are primarily sportspeople in my book. However, aren't all the male athletes doing it too? Equality in action: equally shit.

[Will Hunt]

Yes, but would you, Will?

I wouldn't turf her out of bed I suppose 

I haven't seen much of the blokes doing it but maybe that's because they haven't stuck in my mind as it were!

[Snoops]

Does it only bother you that she's wearing fishnets in a seductive pose?

what about when romero was butt naked riding that bike prior to the 2008 Beijing Olympics?

Victoria did that one as well, word.

[robertostallioni]

thats just raised my profile.

[Bubba]

It depends upon her motives for doing such photoshoots.

If she's doing them out of necessity because she's trying desperately to raise money to fund her sport and feels pressured into doing so then that's wrong - she shouldn't have to be in that situation.

But if she's thinking "I'm beautiful, have a great body, and I don't mind flaunting it for publicity/cash/'cause I want to" then who can argue with that?

Apologies for Daily Mail link, but if this is to be believed then perhaps it's the latter.

[robertostallioni]

I'm sure I've recently read Pendletons quitting cycling after the games, and not staying near the sport in the short term(at least).

[dave]

Daley thinks this is fucking hilarious

[kingholmesy]

Damn it. I only clicked on this thread in the hope of seeing some pictures of a scantily clad Jessica Ennis.

[tomtom]

Daley thinks this is fucking hilarious

I think I just saw Daley in a Daz advert! :-/

[Paul B]

There are some great photos and physiques here:
http://espn.go.com/espn/photos/gallery/_/id/8136693/image/1/carlos-bocanegra-2012-body-issue-bodies-want-espn-magazine

(some for the surfers too)

[slackline]

German athletes don't seem to have a problem with revealing themselves....

NSFW  :

Group picture(left to the right):
front row: Christin Steuer(high diving), Beate Gauss(shooter), Christina Schütze(field hockey)
back: Regina Sergeeva(gymnastics), Angela Maurer(swimmer)

[SA Chris]

Do you know what events they are participating in?

(Just out of curiosity you understand )

[nai]

Don't know how you missed this at the bottom 

Group picture(left to the right):
front row: Christin Steuer(high diving), Beate Gauss(shooter), Christina Schütze(field hockey)
back: Regina Sergeeva(gymnastics), Angela Maurer(swimmer)

[tomtom]

http://www.examiner.com/slideshow/australian-olympic-athletes-social-media-pics

[SA Chris]

Don't know how you missed this at the bottom 

I only had a sneaky peak at work. Honest.

[mark s]

im all for them showing what they want,they spend hours training and look good as a result.better than seeing those slags from things to do in essex in the papers everyday

[Teaboy]

im all for them showing what they want,they spend hours training and look good as a result.

Hooray, striking a blow for female emancipation.

better than seeing those slags from things to do in essex in the papers everyday

........or maybe not.

[SamT]

Very interesting insight in this documentary... 'baggage' springs to mind.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b01l1yl4/

[shark]

Very interesting insight in this documentary... 'baggage' springs to mind.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b01l1yl4/

So awesome and so vulnerable 

[slackline]

[shark]

The best runner is the one having the most fun

You're mining a rich vein - keep up the good work

[gme]

Crying shame she never qualified.

[Nibile]

Somehow off topic, somehow in.

[slackline]

You're mining a rich vein

Representing Paraguay in the javelin, Leryn Franco....

[dave]

You're mining a rich vein

Representing Paraguay in the javelin, Leryn Franco....

A mate in prison asked me to post the following sexist wisecrack:

"she can represent my javelin any day"

That is all.

[Johnny Brown]

Is anybody else finding this all a bit distasteful?

I'm really not sure. Can we see some more examples?

[mark s]

Is anybody else finding this all a bit distasteful?

I'm really not sure. Can we see some more examples?

second that,maybe some nude ones so we can really see if we are offended

[underground]

Very interesting insight in this documentary... 'baggage' springs to mind.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b01l1yl4/

So awesome and so vulnerable 

Aren't we all...

[Bubba]

Really good documentary that. Not sure about "baggage", she just wasn't very confident early on and had a pushy parent. Not so unusual surely?  She comes across as a really nice woman and it was refreshing to see such honesty and emotion on show.  I'll be cheering for her over the next few weeks.

[dave]

Her dad reminded me of competative dad on The Fast Show.

[mrconners]

You're mining a rich vein

Representing Paraguay in the javelin, Leryn Franco....

A mate in prison asked me to post the following sexist wisecrack:

"she can represent my javelin any day"

That is all.

We could have some mention of handling spears. Any others?

[SamT]

I guess the 'baggage' I referred to was more short term i.e. whats happened within the team since Beijing etc.  The pressure she's put under from both herself and the team (not to mention the nation) is just incredible.  She doesn't really looked to have enjoyed the last 8 years of her life at all (well - professionally anyway) - its all a bit 'ho hum, another world champ'.

How crap is she going to feel if she bins it in qualifying and breaks a collar bone or something. 

[Dave Garry]

In Reply to the original post - is anyone finding it distastful blah blah

no I find it refreshing that these althetes are making sports sexy. the press are always going to sell sex so in my eyes I would rather my girl grow up in a world were when she looks at a semi/naked photo in a magazine and asks "Daddy whos that" I can reply "oh thats triple world champion such an such"  or "thats a 2012 gold medalist" rather than some tramp girl who just likes to take her clothes off for attention or a stick thin "super model" that has been photo shopped to death.

"Daddy I want a body like her"
"great now get on ya bike and get down the shops to buy me some beer"     

[horn]

The Paralympians are at it to! Japanese sprinter Maya Nakanishi looking absolutely stunning

[magpie]

I find it refreshing that these althetes are making sports sexy. the press are always going to sell sex so in my eyes I would rather my girl grow up in a world were when she looks at a semi/naked photo in a magazine and asks "Daddy whos that" I can reply "oh thats triple world champion such an such"  or "thats a 2012 gold medalist" rather than some tramp girl who just likes to take her clothes off for attention or a stick thin "super model" that has been photo shopped to death.

That pretty much sums up my feelings, albeit a little blunter than I would have put it, we're always going to have naked women (and men) in the press so I'd rather have ones who look incredible because they're fit and healthy and train hard than ones who look incredible because they constantly diet, have cosmetic surgery and are airbrushed.

[Johnny Brown]

Pendleton's Sunday times article this weekend/ pending book detailing her 'self-harm hell' are fast elevating her to attention-seeking annoyance in my book.

[shark]

Pendleton's Sunday times article this weekend/ pending book detailing her 'self-harm hell' are fast elevating her to attention-seeking annoyance in my book.

You're so cutting

[shark]

Without wishing to state the bleeding obvious, is no one else playing?

[shark]

 

[dr_botnik]

theres little comedy to be found in this vein...

[Bubba]

Don't want to seem humourless but come on, whether or not you think Pendleton's self harm is "real" enough for you, the subject isn't really one to make jokes about.

[dave]

How about this "did you hear about the librarian who would repeatedly hit his head on the bookcases? He was a shelf harmer"?

[slackline]

Good sense of humor ...

[namnok]

Good sense of humor ...

brilliant

[mrconners]

 :sorry:i love Michelle