Croatia players impose media nude blackout

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Croatia players impose media nude blackout

Croatia's World Cup squad have launched a World Cup media boycott in protest at the publication of photos of players swimming naked at their Praia do Forte base.

The pictures notably featured international defenders Vedran Corluka and Dejan Lovren swimming naked in their hotel pool.

"This is not only in Croatia, it is spreading throughout the world," said coach Nico Kovac after the photos appeared on several Croatian online news sites.

"It's easy for me to talk but I'm not part of this story. I respect their opinion. What can I do? I cannot pull them by the ears and say "let's go talk to media".

Croatia lost their opening World Cup match 3-1 to hosts Brazil in Sao Paulo on Thursday.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-06-16

[jellydog]

Down and probably out the Croats just want to have fun. Can you blame them ?

[submaniac]

Who the hell swims nude in a public pool?!?!? Really, if I was staying at that hotel I'd be like "put some clothes on".

[jellydog]

Who the hell swims nude in a public pool?!?!? Really, if I was staying at that hotel I'd be like "put some clothes on".

Have done more than "swim" in a public pool. Its fun, and much better than peeing in it.

[Costas2008]

Sustento, JT, you are too slow asking for pictures

[bigbamboo]

At least no one was caught diving.

[submaniac]

photos are here: http://dnevnik.hr/showbuzz/celebrity/nije-za-mladje-od-18-golisavo-kupanje-nasih-vatrenih-nogometasa-u-brazilu---340403.html

[Estrada]

What's the big deal, Croatia is one of the many countries that have nudist beaches including where these photos were taken. They should have had a few stiff words with the photographers.

[Jonathan Fairfield]

UPDATE

Croatia's Olic slams 'shameful' media over nude photos

FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP

Croatia international striker Ivica Olic slammed local media for the "shameful" publishing of photographs which showed teammates swimming naked at their World Cup base in Brazil, a local paper reported Monday.

"You can write freely that it's a real shame!," Olic lamented for the Sportske Novosti daily.

"We came here to represent Croatia, give our best, we are preparing ourselves for a difficult match against Cameroon and then such things happen."

"Is it normal? Do people really need to watch us without our underpants, do our families have to blush? Did media representatives come here for football or something else," stressed the 34-year old, who was not on the naked photos.

On Sunday, Croatian online media published photos of several players jumping and swimming naked in a swimming pool at their Praia do Forte base.

The pictures notably featured international defenders Vedran Corluka and Dejan Lovren -- from behind or covering private parts with hands.

Star midfielder Luka Modric however had his swimming trunks on.

Publishing of the photos sparked outrage from the players who decided to boycott all media duties leaving coach Niko Kovac to explain their decision.

"I respect their opinion. What can I do? I cannot pull them by the ears and say: let's go talk to media," Kovac said stressing the photos were "spreading throughout the world."

On Monday, the photos were published on the front-pages of main Croatian dailies.

But despite players' anger, in a vivid discussion over the affair on social networks at home many, namely women, commented that they had nothing to be ashamed of as they looked "great on the photos."

Croatia lost their opening World Cup match 3-1 to hosts Brazil in Sao Paulo on Thursday.

On Wednesday they face Cameroon and the remaining match in their group A against Mexico is scheduled for June 23.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-06-16

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