An animal rights group has staged a daring publicity stunt at the gates of the Olympic athletes' village, co-opting the US swimming legend Amanda Beard to unveil a risque photo of herself to help draw attention to cruelty in the Chinese fur trade.
The event was to be held in a private room at a nearby hotel but People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) director Jason Baker said officials locked down the hotel last night, citing unspecified security concerns.
The event was hastily shifted to the south gate of the athletes' village where earlier today a media scrum greeted the four-time Olympian under the watchful eye of officials and police.
PETA's campaign - which features Beard wearing only her swimming goggles in front of the Stars and Stripes - coincides with an undercover investigation carried out by the group into the fur industry in China.
The poster, which Beard held aloft for the cameras, carries the slogan: "Be comfortable in your own skin. Don't wear skin."
She pointedly avoided direct criticism of the Chinese fur trade and stressed she was lending support to an organisation in which she passionately believed.
"The more I learn about animals when their skin is ripped from their bodies while they're still alive to create fur ... it's heartbreaking to me because I love animals," Beard said.
Asked if she thought the photo was too risque, Beard replied: "I go to the office in a swimsuit, so for me to shed a few more pieces of clothing isn't a real big deal for me. I've done Playboy. I'm fully comfortable with my body and who I am."
PETA's investigation found that before they are skinned alive, animals are pulled from their cages and bludgeoned with metal rods or slammed on hard surfaces - something which does not always result in immediate death.
Beard is no stranger to baring her body for a good cause. She has appeared in lads' mag FHM the 2006 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, and in July 2007, she featured as Playmate of the Month in Playboy.
Stephen Hutcheon