[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