A major investigation by the Washington has found that officials of two premier bodybuilding federations in the US have been sexually exploiting female athletes for decades.
According to an article on the matter, the bodybuilders were forced to pose for nude photographs, which were posted to pornography sites. It also said that some of the contests were even rigged in favor of cooperative athletes.
The investigation reviewed website archives and identified more than 200 female athletes in photos ranging from casual bikini shots to graphic, sexual images, including those of nude women together in beds, bathtubs and showers. One website was captioned “Your Favorite Fitness Athletes …Naked!”
Jenn Gates, who won the figure category at the Olympia contest in 2008 explained why she decided to quit the spot. According to Gates, she was asked to pose nude but declined. The investigation revealed that her swimsuit photos had in fact been posted on the website
“I never consented to having my pictures put on a soft-porn site,” Gates said during an interview at her home in Indianapolis. She warned young women to stay away from the contests for this reason.
