Nudity in female sports

A women's health magazine has faced backlash following a decision to use topless body-painted female models to promote an awards night for Australian sportswomen. Four nude women painted themselves to look like sport stars and posed for photographs on the red carpet alongside real athletes at the Women's Health I Support Women In Sports Awards in Sydney on Monday night. The models were painted in different Australian sporting team uniforms, including a gymnastic leotard, a swimming costume, a netball dress and Cathy Freeman's iconic Sydney Olympics running suit. Scroll down for video. Four nude women painted themselves to look like sport stars and posed for photographs on the red carpet alongside real athletes at the Women's Health I Support Women In Sports Awards in Sydney on Tuesday. The decision has drawn criticism online with many saying the inclusion of the topless models distracted from the real sport stars and sexualised female athletes.

United States WWE superstar and former women's champion and actress Ronda Rousey posed nude and covered in just body paint for Swimsuit Illustrated magazine. American alpine skiist Lindsey Vonn appeared in nothing but body paint for Sports Illustrated magazine. Radwanska was excluded from a Catholic movement in Poland following her dare bare act. Hope Solo, the controversial American soccer player, also posed in the nude for a sports magazine. German figure skater and world champion Katarina Witt bared it all for Playboy in

Kerri Walsh, considered one of the greatest beach volleyball players of all time, found out for herself when she dove into the sand to reach for a ball, causing her bikini bottoms to slide down just enough to reveal the top of her buttocks. Gillian Cooke represents Scotland in track and field and bobsled. Just as she was about to take off, she leaned back and ripped her suit wide open, revealing her bare bottom to everyone behind her, including the cameraman. She would go on to finish the race in seventh overall.

Nudity in sport is the custom of taking part in sporting activity while nude. Being clothed is a matter of modesty and in some instances protection for the athlete. It was a norm in Ancient Greece for athletes to exercise and compete in the nude. In antiquity even before the Classical era, e. The Greek practice to compete and exercise was strongly inspired by their gods and heroes.