Linfield in picture controversy
LINFIELD Football Club was remaining tight-lipped on Thursday over claims 'sexually provocative' pictures had been placed on their official website.
It is alleged photographs of a top female model promoting the club's new home strip, similar to the one opposite, were given prominence in a picture gallery with the jersey ripped in a revealing manner.
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One of the pictures seen by the News Letter shows former Miss Northern Ireland Lucy Evangelista lying on her back with the club colours covering only her cleavage as her midrift is fully exposed.
The sultry shot is believed to be one of six removed by the club from the website following complaints.
It is believed the issue was discussed at a board meeting on Monday evening.
The picture gallery was first placed on the website on Saturday.
Yesterday, nine images remained online promoting the new club colours, three of which include a posing Ms Evangelista.
Another model appears in three other photographs alongside prominent Linfield players.
When contacted by the News Letter, a spokesman said the club would be making "no comment whatsoever" regarding the matter.
However, a source close to the club said the controversy was "blown out of all proportion".
Linfield are primarily a "family orientated club", he added.
Supporters of Linfield also played down the row by commenting on the story on the News Letter website.
One fan - logging in as 'Belfast Blue' - believes the club are "victimised at every available chance".
"Having seen the pictures in question I can whole heartedly say that at no point did I feel that a 'sexually provocative' nature could be found in any of the current or previous pictures of the kit models," the comment read.
"If offence is generated from these 'quite mild' photographs then how must people react to the sinful nature of the rest of the entertainment and media world, were the nature of such media is often explicit or worse."
Linfield have the largest fan base of any Irish League club side and are the current holders of the domestic double. They won the league title and Irish Cup in May for the third consecutive season.
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Monday 13 February 2012
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