Some have a dubbed the campaign, predictably, a “charm offensive”, while organisers have said that the photos are to fight the stereotype that ”women in sport are just a heap of muscles and masculine shapes” – though we’re pretty certain that people knew that female athletes could be hot.

It isn’t the first time that athletes have stripped down for promotional material, and it won’t be the last. But the reaction hasn’t been entirely positive, with Rachel Oakes-Ash of Daily Life calling the pictures demeaning and ignoring the actual competitive achievements of the athletes involved.

You can check out the gallery HERE

What do you think? Are the Russian Girls a match for our Winter Olympic athletes?!? Tell us below what you thought of the gallery.

Source: fansided.com

Our fascination with sexy snaps

Who of us had heard that Pauline Hanson had re-entered the political arena a few months back? Sure it made the news and it may have made a fleeting smudge on our radars but the story was never going to stop the presses. But how many of us sat up and took note when the Sydney Telegraph published naked photos of a woman they claimed to be a 19-year-old Hanson.

Ever man and his dog hit the internet looking for the pictures of the fiery redhead, sans kit, and the whole thing went off like the proverbial frog in the sock. If we were to ask our friends over at Google how Pauline went in their search term rankings that week you can bet the farm her numbers would have shot through the roof, and all because of a little skin, which as it turns out wasn’t Pauline’s skin anyway, but the point is made.

A recent RedHotPie poll revealed that 78% of people had sent naked pictures of themselves to others via their mobile telephones – 78%! Get your head around that number and you start to realise how comfortable we are becoming with our bodies and sexuality. Sure the intent is rarely to blast these pics into public forums but the possibility of this outcome doesn’t douse the exhibitionist in us the way it once did.

Pop duo The Veronica’s have had a string of hits, launched their own fashion label and toured the world, but last year, one of their biggest headlines came when pictures of Lisa Origliasso appeared on the internet showing the young siren starkers, posing for an ex lover. Of course through her reps the validity of the photos were questioned but in the end, the fanfare went away and The Veronicas powered on, more than likely with a few extra fans.

The media don’t lynch celebs that feature in these sexy pics and tapes anymore, careers are not ruined the way they once were, in fact they quite often receive playful, even positive press.

Just look at the recent careers hit by these “scandals”. Vanessa Hudgens: still working, Pamela Anderson: still working, Pete Wentz still working… there’s a pattern beginning to form here and it’s pretty clear that we are emerging from the sexual dark ages. Hallelujah!

Of course it would be very clear to most of you that we’re not talking about celebrities exclusively. We’re all plugged into the grid, we’re all techno users and we’re all sexual beings, so as the recent RHP poll results prove, the bulk of us are snapping away; and why the bloody hell not?!? What’s hotter than sharing some smouldering skin with a lover, a little reminder of the carnal wonderland awaiting us upon our next encounter?

So pull out the old Box Brownie or get into the digital camera market, hell you phone will more than likely do the job! Re-ignite the night, splash a little spice on things and start shooting some truly sexy stuff! SEND.