Scantily Clad Russian Olympians Are Making Us Uncomfortable

Alexander Saitova, curling (Photo: adme.ru)The first official medal event hasn’t even happened yet, but the Winter Olympics have already been pounded with a fair share of controversy. From journalists revealing the ridiculous conditions of their hotel accommodations, to Sochi officials solving the city's "stray dog probem" by killing the innocent animals, to still-incomplete infrastructure as the games are kicking off, Sochi’s public image is tainted (just like the water), to say the least.

Now, perhaps in an attempt to push those problems out of everyone’s minds, Team Russia has released photos of their female athletes. And they've swapped out their official uniforms (with all that lame fabricand coverage) for racy lingerie.

As the old saying goes: When you want to distract the world from a bunch of glaring issues, publish images of nearly nude, very attractive women. The plan may be working, as proven by plenty of enamored men, including Kier White, who tweeted, “Russia wins the gold medal for hot female athletes” and @OddlyNormal, who admitted on Twitter, "Russia has some hot female Olympians. I didn't read a single word in the article lol.” Many women, meanwhile, have been focusing on the feminist perspective (Ginny Sanderson called the pics "cringey and demeaning").
(L-R) Elena Nikitina, skeleton; Irina Avvakumova, ski jumping; Ekaterina Galkina, curling (Photos: adme.ru)
The offical team pictures, which were posted to AdMe.Ru, feature hockey players, curlers, figure skaters, skeleton sledders, and skiers provocatively posing, some even with equipment from their respective sport. While getting the female athletes and their events some extra attention is admirable, objectifying the women in this way seems to send a distinctly opposite message: Watch these ladies for their gorgeous looks, not raw talent. Team USA's opening ceremony outfits may be officially fugs, but at least they don't reveal any cleavage.