Jackie Chamoun is currently in Sochi, Russia, representing her home country of Lebanon at the Olympics. But unfortunately that’s not why everyone back home is talking about her.
In addition to being a world-class skier, Jackie is also rather easy on the eyes. So easy, in fact, that three years ago, when she was 19, she participated in a photo shoot for a calendar that has also featured many of her fellow downhill racers. One of them is America’s Julia Mancuso, for example.
She is fully clothed in the photograph that ultimately appeared in the calendar, but this week a behind-the-scenes video appeared online that showed her in various states of undress, usually preparing for a particular shot. The nudity is minimal and incidental, but nevertheless it has sparked quite the firestorm in conservative Lebanon. The country’s government has denounced her and begun an investigation (of some kind).
However, her supporters are fighting back, using #StripForJackie and Boobs 4 Lebanon campaigns on various social media. Chamoun herself addressed the issue on Facebook, explaining that the photos and video now circulating on the Web were never supposed to go public. She also asked everyone to stop spreading and sharing them.
Uh, sorry about that photo up there, Jackie, but we don’t think you have anything to apologize for.
(If you absolutely must go against Jackie’s wishes and view the video, there’s an
NSFW link here)