Olympic swimmer Amit Ivry (Gabriel Baharlia/Facebook)
Since 2009, ESPN The Magazine has released an annual issue that features photos of renowned athletes posing nude. The Body Issue has become a fixture of popular sports culture that celebrates the immaculate bodies that top athletes can achieve.
Now, Israel’s popular Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper has given the idea a try, photographing 14 of Israel’s best athletes nude in “a first” for the country. According to Israel21C, fashion photographer Gabriel Baharlia spent two and a half weeks with the athletes to produce the images. The results, published last weekend, are as startling as ESPN’s.
Ariel Harush, 27 (soccer)
Ariel Harush (Gabriel Baharlia/Facebook)
Ariel Harush is a soccer goalkeeper for the Israeli national team and Hapoel Tel Aviv in the Israeli Premier League.
Amit Ivry, 26 (swimming)
Amit Ivry (Gabriel Baharlia/Facebook)
Amit Ivry is an Olympic swimmer who holds several national records in Israel.
Gal Mekel, 27 (basketball)
Gal Mekel (Gabriel Baharlia/Facebook)
Gal Mekel is a basketball guard who has played in the NBA and currently handles the ball for Serbian team Red Star Belgrade.
Ma’ayan Shahaf, 28 (high jump)
Ma’ayan Shahaf (Gabriel Baharlia/Facebook)
Ma’ayan Shahaf is a seven-time national champion high-jumper.
Maor Buzalgo, 27 (soccer)
Maor Buzalgo (Gabriel Baharlia/Facebook)
Maor Buzalgo is a soccer midfielder for the Israeli national team and Hapoel Beer Sheva in the Israeli Premier League.
Meirav Dori, 29 (basketball)
Meirav Dori (Gabriel Baharlia/Facebook)
Meirav Dori is a basketball guard who plays for the Israeli national team.
Donald Sanford, 30 (track)
Donald Sanford (Gabriel Baharlia/Facebook)
Donald Sanford is an American-Israeli Olympian who holds the Israeli record in the 400-meter dash.
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